U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Organic Compounds and Trace Elements in Fish 

Tissue and Bed Sediment from Streams in the 

Yellowstone River Basin, Montana and 

Wyoming, 1998

By David A. Peterson and Gregory K. Boughton

Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4190

Prepared as part of the

NATIONAL WATER-QUALITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

2000
U.S. Department of the Interior

Bruce Babbitt, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Charles G. Groat, Director

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for 

descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government

For additional information write to:

District Chief

U.S. Geological Survey, WRD

2617 E. Lincolnway, Suite B

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001-5662

Copies of this report can be purchased from:

U.S. Geological Survey

Branch of Information Services

Box 25286, Denver Federal Center

Denver, Colorado 80225

Information regarding the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is available on the Internet via the World 

Wide Web. You may connect to the NAWQA Home Page using the Universal Resource Locator (URL): 

<http://wwwrvares.er.usgs.gov/nawqa/nawqa_home.html>
 iii

FOREWORD

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 

is to assess the quantity and quality of the earth resources 

of the Nation and to provide information that will assist 

resource managers and policymakers at Federal, State, 

Tribal, and local levels in making sound decisions. 

Assessment of water-quality conditions and trends is an 

important part of this overall mission.

One of the greatest challenges faced by waterresources scientists is acquiring reliable information that 

will guide the use and protection of the Nation’s water 

resources. That challenge is being addressed by Federal, 

State, Tribal, interstate, and local water-resource agencies and by many academic institutions. These organizations are collecting water-quality data for a host of 

purposes that include: compliance with permits and 

water-supply standards; development of remediation 

plans for specific contamination problems; operational 

decisions on industrial, wastewater, or water-supply 

facilities; and research on factors that affect water quality. An additional need for water-quality information is to 

provide a basis on which regional- and national-level 

policy decisions can be based. Wise decisions must be 

based on sound information. As a society, we need to 

know whether certain types of water-quality problems 

are isolated or ubiquitous, whether there are significant 

differences in conditions among regions, whether the 

conditions are changing over time, and why these conditions change from place to place and over time. The 

information can be used to help determine the efficacy of 

existing water-quality policies and to help analysts determine the need for and likely consequences of new policies.

To address these needs, the U.S. Congress appropriated funds in 1986 for the USGS to begin a pilot program 

in seven project areas to develop and refine the National 

Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. In 1991, 

the USGS began full implementation of the program. The 

NAWQA Program builds upon an existing base of waterquality studies of the USGS, as well as those of other Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies. The objectives of the 

NAWQA Program are to:

• Describe current water-quality conditions for a 

large part of the Nation’s freshwater streams, 

rivers, and aquifers.

• Describe how water quality is changing over time.

• Improve understanding of the primary natural and 

human factors that affect water-quality conditions.

This information will help support the development and 

evaluation of management, regulatory, and monitoring 

decisions by other Federal, State, Tribal, and local agencies to protect, use, and enhance water resources. 

The goals of the NAWQA Program are being 

achieved through ongoing and proposed investigations of 

more than 50 of the Nation’s most important river basins 

and aquifer systems, which are referred to as study units. 

These study units are distributed throughout the Nation 

and cover a diversity of hydrogeologic settings. More 

than two-thirds of the Nation’s freshwater use occurs 

within the study units, and more than two-thirds of the 

people served by public water-supply systems live within 

their boundaries.

National synthesis of data analysis, based on aggregation of comparable information obtained from the 

study units, is a major component of the program. This 

effort focuses on selected water-quality topics using 

nationally consistent information. Comparative studies 

will explain differences and similarities in observed 

water-quality conditions among study areas, and will 

identify changes and trends and their causes. The current 

topics addressed by the national synthesis are pesticides, 

nutrients, volatile organic compounds, trace elements, 

and aquatic ecology. Discussions on these and other 

water-quality topics will be published in periodic summaries of the quality of the Nation’s ground and surface 

water as the information becomes available.

This report is an element of the comprehensive body 

of information developed as part of the NAWQA Program. The program depends heavily on the advice, cooperation, and information from many Federal, State, 

interstate, Tribal, and local agencies and the public. The 

assistance and suggestions of all are greatly appreciated.

Robert M. Hirsch

Chief Hydrologist

CONTENTS v

CONTENTS

Page

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

Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Description of the study unit....................................................................................................................................... 2

Sample collection and analysis ................................................................................................................................... 7

Quality assurance ........................................................................................................................................................ 9

Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................................... 9

Organic compounds .............................................................................................................................................................. 9

Fish tissue.................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Bed sediment............................................................................................................................................................... 16

Trace elements....................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Fish tissue.................................................................................................................................................................... 22

Bed sediment............................................................................................................................................................... 26

Mercury study ............................................................................................................................................................. 35

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................... 36

References cited .................................................................................................................................................................... 37

FIGURES

1. Map showing location of fish-tissue and bed-sediment sampling sites................................................................... 3

2. Map showing environmental settings in the Yellowstone River Basin ................................................................... 4

3. Photograph of electrofishing on the Bighorn River at Kane ................................................................................... 9

4-12. Graphs showing:

4. Relation between land use and number of organic compounds detected in fish-tissue samples ................... 12

5. Concentrations of DDT and metabolites of DDT in fish-tissue samples....................................................... 15

6. Relation between land use and concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in bed sediment ...... 21

7. Relation between land use and concentrations of selected trace elements in fish-tissue samples ................. 23

8. Relation between land use and concentrations of selected trace elements in bed-sediment samples............ 32

9. Relation between geologic units and concentrations of selected trace elements in bed-sediment samples... 33

10. Concentrations of selected trace elements in bed-sediment samples from three NAWQA study units......... 34

TABLES

1. Fish-tissue and bed-sediment sampling sites.......................................................................................................... 6

2. Physical measurements at sampling sites ............................................................................................................... 8

3. Organic compounds analyzed and reporting limits for fish-tissue and bed-sediment analyses ............................. 10

4. Organic compounds detected in fish-tissue samples .............................................................................................. 13

5. Organic compounds detected in bed-sediment samples ......................................................................................... 17

6. Trace-element concentrations in fish-liver samples ............................................................................................... 24

7. Trace-element concentrations in whole-body brook trout samples........................................................................ 26

8. Trace-element concentrations in bed-sediment samples ........................................................................................ 28

9. Mercury concentrations in fish-muscle and bed-sediment samples ....................................................................... 35
ABSTRACT 1

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive water-quality investigation of the Yellowstone River Basin began in 1997, 

under the National Water-Quality Assessment 

(NAWQA) Program. Twenty-four sampling sites 

were selected for sampling of fish tissue and bed 

sediment during 1998. Organic compounds analyzed included organochlorine insecticides and 

their metabolites and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from fish-tissue and bed-sediment 

samples, and semivolatile organic compounds 

from bed-sediment samples. A broad suite of trace 

elements was analyzed from both fish-tissue and 

bed-sediment samples, and a special study related 

to mercury also was conducted. 

Of the 12 organochlorine insecticides and 

metabolites detected in the fish-tissue samples, the 

most compounds per site were detected in samples 

from integrator sites which represent a mixture of 

land uses. The presence of DDT, and its metabolites DDD and DDE, in fish collected in the 

Yellowstone Park area likely reflects long-term 

residual effects from historical DDT-spraying 

programs for spruce budworm. Dieldrin, chlordane, and other organic compounds also were 

detected in the fish-tissue samples. The compound 

p, p′-DDE was detected at 71 percent of the sampling sites, more than any other compound. The 

concentrations of total DDT in fish samples were 

low, however, compared to concentrations from 

historical data from the study area, other NAWQA 

studies in the Rocky Mountains, and national baseline concentrations. 

Only 2 of the 27 organochlorine insecticides 

and metabolites and total PCBs analyzed in bed 

sediment were detected. Given that 12 of the compounds were detected in fish-tissue samples, fish 

appeared to be more sensitive indicators of contamination than bed sediment. 

Concentrations of some trace elements in 

fish and bed sediment were higher at sites in mineralized areas than at other sites. Concentrations 

of selenium in fish tissue from some sites were 

above background levels. Concentrations of 

arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead in some of the 

bed-sediment samples potentially exceeded criteria for the protection of aquatic life. 

INTRODUCTION

The Yellowstone River Basin (YELL) was 

selected as one of more than 50 study units in the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality 

Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The scope and 

objectives of the NAWQA program are described 

briefly in the foreword to this report and in more detail 

by Hirsch and others (1988) and Gilliom and others 

(1995). The NAWQA study units were divided across 

the United States into three groups on a rotational 

schedule, with one group of studies beginning in 1991, 

a second group beginning in 1994, and a third group 

beginning in 1997. The YELL was among the group of 

study-unit investigations that began in 1997. 

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND TRACE ELEMENTS IN 

FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT FROM STREAMS 

IN THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN, MONTANA 

AND WYOMING, 1998

By David A. Peterson and Gregory K. Boughton
2 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

The surface-water component of the NAWQA 

program requires an integrated approach (physical, 

chemical, and biological) to aid in interpreting and 

assessing changes in stream quality (Gurtz, 1994). One 

element of this integrated approach is describing the 

occurrence and distribution of organic compounds and 

trace elements in fish tissue and bed sediment. 

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to describe the 

occurrence and distribution of organic compounds and 

trace elements in fish tissue and bed sediment from 

selected streams in the YELL. Development of a biological and sediment database provides a baseline for 

assessment of long-term trends and is useful for comparing land-use inputs (Crawford and Luoma, 1993, 

p. 4). The fish-tissue and bed-sediment data are compared to data from other investigations in the United 

States and Canada, regional, statewide, and site-specific investigations, and results of studies related to 

potential adverse effects on aquatic biota or human 

health. 

Fish-tissue and bed-sediment analyses and 

related data from samples collected for the YELL 

NAWQA during the summer and fall of 1998 are presented in this report. The data also are available from 

the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) 

database, a report by Swanson and others (2000), and 

the Internet, at http://wy.water.usgs.gov/YELL/html/

data.htm. 

Bed-sediment samples were collected at 24 sites, 

and fish-tissue samples were collected at 21 of those 

sites. Fish-tissue and bed-sediment data are included 

from 5 sites that were co-sampled as part of a USGS 

national mercury investigation. 

Description of the Study Unit

The Yellowstone River is the largest tributary of 

the Missouri River and drains an area of approximately 

70,000 mi2 (square miles) in Montana, North Dakota, 

and Wyoming (fig. 1). The annual mean discharge of 

the Yellowstone River near its mouth is 12,830 cubic 

feet per second (Shields and others, 1998, p. 302). 

Major tributaries to the Yellowstone River include the 

Clarks Fork Yellowstone River, the Wind/Bighorn 

River, the Tongue River, and the Powder River.

Mean annual precipitation in the YELL ranges 

from about 5.9 inches in the central parts of the Bighorn 

and Wind River Basins to more than 59 inches at high 

elevations in the mountains near Yellowstone National 

Park (Oregon Climate Service, 1995a, 1995b). Snowfall composes a substantial part of annual precipitation 

in most years, with average annual snowfall ranging 

from less than 12 inches in parts of the Bighorn Basin 

to more than 200 inches near Yellowstone National 

Park (Western Regional Climate Center, 1997). 

The environmental setting of the Yellowstone 

River Basin has been described by Zelt and others 

(1999); the following discussion is condensed from 

that report. Four ecoregions occur in the YELL (fig. 2). 

The ecoregions are based on integrated patterns of factors including land use, morphology, potential natural 

vegetation, and soil (Omernik, 1987). Approximately 

55 percent of the study unit lies in the Northwestern 

Great Plains ecoregion (Zelt and others, 1999). This 

ecoregion has plains with open hills of varying height 

and tablelands of moderate relief; predominant land 

cover is subhumid grass used for grazing (Omernik, 

1987). The Middle Rocky Mountains and Wyoming 

Basin ecoregions each contain about 21 percent of the 

study unit. The Middle Rocky Mountains ecoregion 

features high mountains and plateaus covered by Douglas fir, western spruce-fir forests, and alpine meadows; land use includes grazing, recreation, and 

silviculture. The Wyoming Basin ecoregion has plains 

with hills or low mountains, some irrigated agriculture, 

and the potential natural vegetation is shrub steppe, 

desert shrubland, and juniper-pinyon woodland. The 

Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies ecoregion contains the remaining 3 percent of the study unit. The 

Montana Valley and Foothill Prairies ecoregion is characterized as subhumid grassland used for grazing, and 

some irrigated land. Additional details describing the 

study unit can be found in Zelt and others (1999) and 

Peterson and Zelt (1999).

 Environmental setting and site type were the primary factors in selection of the sampling sites (table 1). 

The environmental setting of the study unit can be 

stratified by identifying sub-areas (not necessarily contiguous) that have relatively homogeneous combinations of those natural and anthropogenic features 

believed to be relevant to water quality (Gilliom and 
INTRODUCTION 3
4 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 
INTRODUCTION 5
6

FISHTISSUEANDBEDSEDIMENT

Table 1. Fish-tissue and bed-sediment sampling sites, Yellowstone River Basin[mi2, square miles. Site type: int, integrator; ind, indicator; min, mineralized area; ag, agriculture; ref, reference for mineralized area; og, oil and gas; for, forested; rg, range. Ecoregion: MR, Middle Rocky Mountains; NWGP, Northwestern Great Plains; WB, Wyoming Basin]

Site 

number 

(fig. 1)

USGS station 

number Station name

Drainage 

area

(mi2) Site type Ecoregion

Major land use and land cover

(percent of drainage area)

1 06186500 Yellowstone River at lake outlet 1,006 int MR forest (64) water (14) tundra (14)2 06187915 Soda Butte Creek at Park boundary 31.2 ind - min MR forest (66) tundra (28) range (5)3 06191500 Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs 2,623 int MR forest (67) range (9) water (5)4 451753110334301 West Fork Mill Creek near Pray 40.2 ind - min MR forest (67) tundra (33)5 06208500 Clarks Fork Yellowstone River at Edgar 2,032 int NWGP forest (37) range (45) tundra (8)6 06214500 Yellowstone River at Billings 11,795 int NWGP forest (41) range (36) agric (10)7 455905108081301 Arrow Creek near Worden 56.7 ind - ag NWGP agric (50) range (49) urban (1)8 435440109152501 Wood River below Galena Creek 21.3 ind - min MR tundra (79) forest (21)9 435602109095301 Wood River above Middle Fork Wood River 44.9 ind - min MR tundra (79) forest (27) range (3)

10 06279500 Bighorn River at Kane 15,765 int WB range (73) forest (16) agric (5)

11 445110108102901 Bighorn Lake at Highway 14A 15,846 int WB range (73) forest (16) agric (5)

12 06279795 Crow Creek at mouth, near Pahaska 19.1 ind - ref MR forest (80) tundra (20)13 06285500 Sage Creek at Lovell 381 ind - og WB range (62) forest (22) agric (16)14 445221108122601 Shoshone River at mouth near Kane 2,977 int WB range (45) forest (33) agric (11)15 06289000 Little Bighorn River at State line 193 ind - for MR forest (83) range (17)16 06295000 Yellowstone River at Forsyth 40,339 int NWGP range (58) forest (25) agric (9)17 06298000 Tongue River near Dayton 204 ind - for MR forest (74) range (26)18 06305700 Goose Creek near Acme 411 int NWGP forest (47) range (35) agric (12)19 06306300 Tongue River at State line 1,477 int NWGP range (56) forest (32) agric (10)20 06313400 Salt Creek near Sussex 769 ind - og NWGP range (96) forest (3) agric (1)21 06316400 Crazy Woman Creek near Arvada 945 ind - rg NWGP range (79) forest (18) agric (2)22 06324970 Little Powder River near State line 1,235 ind - rg NWGP range (84) forest (8) agric (7)23 06326500 Powder River near Locate 13,189 int NWGP range (82) forest (12) agric (5)24 06329500 Yellowstone River near Sidney 69,103 int NWGP range (65) forest (20) agric (10)
INTRODUCTION 7

others, 1995). Eighteen environmental settings in the 

YELL (fig. 2) were identified on the basis of primary 

stratification by ecoregion, geology, land use, and landcover, and secondary stratification by coal lease areas, 

metallic mineral deposits, and oil and gas fields (Zelt 

and others, 1999, p. 75-80). Sampling sites also can be 

classified as either indicator or integrator sites. Indicator sites represent relatively small, homogeneous basins 

associated with environmental settings, such as a specific land use that is considered to be important for 

understanding water quality in the study unit. Integrator 

sites are established at downstream points in large 

drainage basins that are relatively heterogeneous and 

incorporate complex combinations of environmental 

settings. 

Physical conditions at the sampling sites varied 

widely. Streams in the Middle Rocky Mountains ecoregion tended to be small, wadeable streams, with specific 

conductance less than 200 μS/cm (microsiemens per 

centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius) at the time of sampling (table 2). In contrast, streams in the Northwestern 

Great Plains ecoregion also were wadeable, but specific 

conductance was higher, reaching a maximum of 

2,010 μS/cm. The sampling sites on the main stem of 

the Yellowstone River and the Bighorn River were not 

wadeable. Specific conductance on the main stem of 

the Yellowstone River was relatively low, ranging from 

83 μS/cm at the lake outlet (site 1) to 433 μS/cm near 

the mouth (site 24). Dissolved oxygen concentrations 

were near saturation (typically 8-10 mg/L (milligrams 

per liter)) at all of the sites. The water at the sampling 

sites tended to be slightly alkaline, as indicated by the 

pH range of 7.4 to 8.6. 

Sample Collection and Analysis

The length of the sampling reach was determined 

by multiplying the mean wetted channel width by 20, in 

order to encompass habitat types such as pools, runs, 

and riffles, with regard to the minimum and maximum 

reach lengths specified by Fitzpatrick and others (1998). 

At wadeable sites, the sampling reach ranged from 150 

to 300 meters long. At non-wadeable sites, the sample 

reach generally was about 1,000 meters long. Samples 

were collected during late July to October 1998. 

Fish were collected by electrofishing (fig. 3), netting, and seining following procedures outlined by 

Meador and others (1993) and Crawford and Luoma 

(1993). The nationally consistent target taxa were common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and brown trout (Salmo 

trutta); white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) was the 

designated alternate species. Yellowstone cutthroat 

trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri) and brook trout 

(Salvelinus fontinalis) were collected at a few sites 

where target taxa were not available. No fish-tissue 

samples were collected from sampling sites 8, 20, and 

23 because no target taxa or suitable alternate species 

were found. 

At each site, tissue from 5 to 9 adult fish of the 

same species and similar size were composited to form 

a sample. External anomalies including deformities, 

eroded fins, lesions, tumors, and parasites were 

recorded. Whole-body fish were analyzed for organic 

compounds, and fish livers were analyzed for trace elements (Crawford and Luoma, 1993), with two exceptions. At site 9, whole body brook trout were collected 

for analysis of trace elements because the fish were too 

small to yield adequate mass of liver tissue. Both 

whole-body and liver samples of brook trout were collected at site 12 for analysis of trace elements. At seven 

of the sites, liver tissue was removed for trace element 

analysis and the remainder of the whole-body tissue was 

sent for analysis of organic compounds because of inadequate numbers of fish to do separate analyses. Fishtissue samples were kept frozen prior to analysis at the 

USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in 

Denver, Colorado. 

Bed-sediment samples were collected from multiple depositional areas at each sampling reach and composited for analysis according to guidelines established 

by Shelton and Capel (1994). A Teflon coring device 

was used to collect sediment from the upper 2.5 cm 

(centimeters) of the streambed from 20 to 25 places in 

undisturbed depositional areas along the reach. Sediments were homogenized, and a subsample of about 

500 mL (milliliters) was wet sieved through a 2-mm 

(millimeter) stainless-steel sieve into a precleaned 

500 mL glass jar for analysis of organic compounds. 

Each sediment sample for analysis of trace elements 

was sieved through a cleaned 0.062-mm nylon sieve 

cloth stretched over a frame and funnel into a clean, 

acid-rinsed plastic jar. 

Twenty-eight organic compounds and lipid content in fish-tissue samples and 114 organic compounds 

in bed-sediment samples were analyzed (table 3). Both 

fish-tissue and bed-sediment samples were analyzed for 

organochlorine insecticides and their metabolites,
8 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

Table 2. Physical measurements at sampling sites, Yellowstone River Basin, July-September 1998

[ft3/s, cubic feet per second; μS/cm, microsiemens per cubic centimeter at 25oCelsius; C, Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; NA, not available; E, 

estimated]

Site 

number 

(fig. 1) Date

Discharge, 

instantaneous

(ft3/s)

Percent of 

annual mean 

discharge

Specific

conductance

(μS/cm)

pH

(standard 

units)

Water

temperature 

(degrees C)

Oxygen,

dissolved

(mg/L)

Oxygen,

dissolved

(percent

saturation)

1 9/4/98 1,580 118 83 8.4 17.5 8.3 111

2 9/3/98 NA NA 172 8.4 15.0 8.0 104

3 8/27/98 3,280 105 170 7.6 14.5 8.7 103

4 8/27/98 35 NA 123 7.8 10.5 9.1 98

5 8/26/98 531 51 612 8.1 17.0 8.6 102

6 8/25/98 4,740 67 301 8.4 21.0 9.6 123

7 9/25/98 NA NA 519 7.8 20.2 7.5 NA

8 8/3/98 E70 NA 155 7.5 10.0 9.0 104

9 8/6/98 NA NA 161 7.8 11.5 8.8 106

10 8/31/98 2,720 122 676 8.4 22.0 6.7 89

11 9/2/98 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

12 8/5/98 E30 NA 66 7.4 12.5 8.6 103

13 9/1/98 NA NA 1130 8.1 20.0 8.0 102

14 9/2/98 NA NA 878 8.1 14.5 9.0 102

15 9/22/98 130 87 320 8.2 8.4 9.9 99

16 7/27/98 12,990 118 401 8.6 24.5 7.8 104

17 9/23/98 110 60 207 8.2 9.4 9.5 97

18 9/21/98 276 169 452 8.1 13.4 9.1 98

19 9/24/98 290 62 483 8.5 15.5 10.4 120

20 8/1/98 E12 27 2010 7.9 22.0 6.7 91

21 7/31/98 NA NA 1180 8.3 20.5 7.5 97

22 7/30/98 6.4 27 1930 8.2 22.0 8.1 105

23 7/29/98 E60 10 1940 8.3 23.0 7.5 96

24 7/28/98 11,300 88 433 8.6 24.5 6.8 89

and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Bedsediment samples also were analyzed for a variety of 

semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Methods 

used to analyze organic compounds in fish-tissue and 

sediment are described by Leiker and others (1995) and 

Foreman and others (1995). Fish-tissue samples were 

analyzed for trace elements using inductively coupled 

plasma atomic emission spectrophotometry, inductively 

coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and cold vapor 

atomic absorption (Hoffman, 1996) at the USGS NWQL 

in Denver, Colorado. Bed-sediment samples were analyzed for trace elements using a strong acid digestion 

followed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and various forms of atomic absorption spectrophotometry, including cold vapor, graphite 

furnace, and hydride generation at the USGS Branch of 

Geochemistry, Analytical Services Group Laboratory in 

Denver, Colorado (Arbogast, 1990). Percent organic 

carbon was determined by heating a sample in an inductive furnace and measuring the amount of carbon dioxide by thermal conductivity (Wershaw and others, 

1987). Method reporting limits are listed in table 3, but 

actual reporting limits for some samples are higher 

because of matrix effects. In other cases, as indicated by 

an “E” prefix in tables 4 and 5, concentrations below the 

method reporting limit are estimated. 
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 9

Figure 3. Electrofishing on the Bighorn River at Kane, 

Wyoming, September 1998

Additional fish and sediment samples were collected at five sites for the USGS National Mercury 

Project. Olson and DeWild (1999) describe the analytical techniques used for low levels of mercury and speciation in water, sediment, and biota. The water and 

bed-sediment samples were analyzed at the USGS laboratory in Madison, Wisconsin. The fish-tissue fillet 

samples were analyzed at the USGS laboratory in 

Columbia, Missouri. 

Quality Assurance

Paired primary and replicate composite wholebody fish samples for analysis of organic compounds 

were collected at site 6 (white sucker) and at site 10 

(common carp). The organic compound p,p′-DDE was 

the only one detected in both the primary and replicate 

samples. The primary sample of white sucker had a 

concentration of 6.7 μg/kg (micrograms per kilogram) 

p,p′-DDE, and 4.9 percent lipids, and the replicate sample had 13 μg/kg p,p′-DDE and 2.7 percent lipid. Concentrations of p,p′-DDE in whole-body carp from site 

10 were 38.8 μg/kg in the primary sample and 

25.4 μg/kg in the replicate sample; lipid contents were 

4.05 percent and 2.75 percent, respectively. Triplicate 

samples of composite white sucker liver (primary and 

two replicates) were collected from site 6 for analysis 

of trace elements. The relative percent difference in 

element concentrations among the three samples 

ranged from 0 to 84 percent and averaged 26 percent. 

The element concentrations were not consistently 

higher or lower from one sample to another.

Laboratory quality control consisted of laboratory blanks and surrogate and reagent spike recoveries. 

Laboratory blanks indicated that samples were not contaminated during laboratory processing. Surrogate and 

reagent spike recoveries were within acceptable levels 

according to method performance standards outlined in 

reports by Leiker and others (1995) and Foreman and 

others (1995). Results were not adjusted to account for 

percent recovery.

The NWQL participated in several fish-tissue 

interlaboratory studies sponsored by the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Leiker and others, 1995). Results of 

these studies validated the fish-tissue methodology 

used by the NWQL. About 80 percent of all data were 

within 1 standard deviation and 100 percent were 

within 2 standard deviations for all compounds analyzed.

Acknowledgments

Bob McDowell, Bill Bradshaw, Bud Stewart, 

and Mike Welker (Wyoming Game and Fish Department) and Mike Vaughn, Dave Hergenrider, Vic Riggs, 

and Joel Tohtz (Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks) 

provided valuable field assistance and equipment, as 

did other personnel from these offices. Pete Ramirez, 

Kim Dickerson, and Bill Olsen (U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service) also provided field assistance. Colleague 

reviews by Rod DeWeese (USGS), Don Skaar (Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks), and Steve Wolff (Wyoming Game and Fish Department), resulted in 

considerable improvements to the report. Publications 

support included assistance from Sue Roberts on the 

illustrations and from Emily Sabado and Laura Gianakos in preparation of the manuscript. 

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

The organochlorine insecticides and metabolites, 

and total PCBs analyzed in the fish-tissue and bedsediment samples are manmade organic compounds.
10 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

Table 3. Organic compounds analyzed and reporting limits for fish-tissue and bed-sediment

Compound

Fish tissue 

MRL

Bed sediment 

MRL Compound

Fish tissue 

MRL

Bed sediment 

MRL

cis-Chlordane 5 1 Dieldrin 5 1

trans-Chlordane 5 1 Endrin 5 2

Heptachlor 5 1 Hexachlorobenzene 5 1

Heptachlor epoxide 5 1 alpha-BHC 5 1

cis-Nonachlor 5 1 beta-BHC 5 1

trans-Nonachlor 5 1 delta-BHC 5 NA

Oxychlordane 5 1 Lindane (gamma-BHC) 5 1

o,p′-DDD 5 1 o,p′-Methoxychlor 5 5

p,p′-DDD 5 1 p,p′-Methoxychlor 5 5

o,p′-DDE 5 1 Mirex 5 1

p,p′-DDE 5 1 Pentachloroanisole 5 1

o,p′-DDT 5 2 Toxaphene 200 200

p,p′-DDT 5 2 Total PCB 50 50

Aldrin 5 1 Lipids (percent) 0.5 NA

Dacthal (DCPA) 5 5

Compounds analyzed only in bed sediment

Chloroneb 5 4-Chlorophenyl phenyl ether 50

Endosulfan I 1 4-Nitrophenol unsp

Isodrin 1 4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene 50

cis-Permethrin 5 Acenaphthene 50

trans-Permethrin 5 Acenaphthylene 50

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 50 Acridine 50

1,2-Dichlorobenzene 50 Anthracene 50

1,2-Dimethylnaphthalene 50 Anthraquinone 50

1,3-Dichlorobenzene 50 Azobenzene 50

1,4-Dichlorobenzene 50 Benz[a]anthracene 50

1,6-Dimethylnaphthalene 50 Benzo[a]pyrene 50

1-Methyl-9H-fluorene 50 Benzo[b]fluoranthene 50

1-Methylphenanthrene 50 Benzo[c]cinnoline 50

1-Methylpyrene 50 Benzo[ghi]perylene 50

2,2′-Biquinoline 50 Benzo[k]fluoranthene 50

2,3,5,6-Tetramethylphenol 50 Phenanthridine 50

2,3,6-Trimethylnaphthalene 50 Phenol 50

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol unsp Pyrene 50

2,4,6-Trimethylphenol unsp Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate 50

2,4-Dichlorophenol unsp Butybenzyl phthalate 50

2,4-Dinitrophenol unsp C8-Alkylphenol 50

2,4-Dinitrotoluene 50 Carbazole 50

2,6-Dimethylnaphthalene 50 Chrysene 50

Table 3. Organic compounds analyzed and reporting limits for fish-tissue and bed-sediment analyses

[MRL, method reporting limit; concentrations in micrograms per kilogram (μg/kg) unless expressed otherwise; NA, not analyzed; unsp, unspecified]
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 11

2,6-Dinitrotoluene 50 Di-n-butyl-phthlate 50

2-Chloronaphthalene 50 Di-n-octyl phthlate 50

2-Chlorophenol 50 Dibenz[a,h]anthracene 50

2-Ethylnaphthalene 50 Dibenzothiophene 50

2-Methylanthracene 50 Diethyl phthalate 50

2-Nitrophenol unsp Dimethyl phthalate 50

3,5-Dimethylphenol 50 Fluoranthene 50

4,6-Dinitro-2-methylphenol unsp Fluorene 50

4-Bromophenylphenylether 50 Hexachlorobenzene 50

4-Chloro-3-methylphenol 50 Hexachlorobutadiene unsp

Isophorone 50 Hexachlorocyclopentadiene unsp

Isoquinoline 50 Hexachloroethane unsp

N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine 50 Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene 50

N-Nitrosodiphenylamine 50 Quinoline 50

Naphthalene 50 bis(2-Chloroethoxy)methane 50

Nitrobenzene 50 bis(2-Chloroethyl)ether 50

Pentachloroanisole 50 bis(2-Chloroisopropyl) ether unsp

Pentachloronitrobenzene 50 p-Cresol 50

Pentachlorophenol unsp Inorganic carbon (grams per kg) 0.2

Phenanthrene 50 Organic carbon (grams per kg) 0.2

Table 3. Organic compounds analyzed and reporting limits for fish-tissue and bed-sediment--Continued

Compound

Fish tissue 

MRL

Bed sediment 

MRL Compound

Fish tissue 

MRL

Bed sediment 

MRL

Although those compounds are known to be lipophilic 

(Hebert and Keenleyside, 1995), analysis of the YELL 

fish data indicated virtually no correlation between 

lipid content and contaminant concentration. Therefore, the fish-tissue contaminant concentrations were 

not adjusted for lipid content. There were too few 

detections in the bed-sediment data to determine if contaminant concentrations in bed sediment were correlated with the organic carbon concentration in the 

sediment. 

Fish Tissue

Of the 12 organic compounds detected in the 

fish-tissue samples, the most compounds per site were 

detected at integrator sites (fig. 4, table 4) which reflect 

multiple environmental settings. Five or six compounds, including dieldrin, chlordane and metabolites, 

and metabolites of DDT were detected in common carp 

from site 10 on the Bighorn River, site 11 on Bighorn 

Lake, and site 14 on the Shoshone River. Four compounds were detected in the carp from site 18 on Goose 

Creek and in the cutthroat trout from site 1 on the Yellowstone River at the outlet of Yellowstone Lake. The 

Goose Creek site reflects mixed environmental settings, including forest, rangeland, agriculture, and 

urban development. The Yellowstone River at site 1 

drains an area of primarily undeveloped land in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding wilderness 

areas (fig. 1). At the other integrator sites on the main 

stem of the Yellowstone River (sites 3, 6, 16, and 24), 

p,p′-DDE was the only compound detected in the fish 

samples. The fish sample from the agricultural indicator site on Arrow Creek (site 7) contained dieldrin and 

two metabolites of DDT at relatively low concentrations. No organic compounds were detected in the fish 

samples from rangeland indicator sites 21 and 22, from 

forest indicator sites 15 and 17, mineralized indicator 

site 9, or from reference site 12. 
12 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

The organic compound most frequently detected 

in the fish-tissue samples was p,p′-DDE, which is a 

metabolite of the organochlorine insecticide DDT. The 

compound p,p′-DDE was detected at 15 of 21, or 71 

percent, of the sampling sites (fig. 5). The largest concentrations of p,p′-DDE were 58 μg/kg wet weight in 

common carp from Goose Creek (site 18) and 

51.3 μg/kg in cutthroat trout from the Yellowstone 

River at the outlet of Yellowstone Lake (site 1). The 

parent compound, p,p′-DDT, was detected in cutthroat 

trout from the Yellowstone River (site 1) and West Fork 

Mill Creek (site 4).

The presence of DDT, DDD, and DDE in fishtissue samples from sites in the area of Yellowstone 

National Park probably reflects the historical spraying 

of DDT to control spruce budworm. For example, 

DDT was sprayed on 71,678 acres in the northern part 

of Yellowstone National Park during 1957 (Cope, 

1961). Samples collected in conjunction with the 1957 

spraying indicated the presence of DDT in fish tissue 

from within the sprayed area, downstream of the 

sprayed area, and in a control sample from Pelican 

Creek in the Park but well outside of the sprayed area 

(Cope, 1961). The presence of DDT or its metabolites 

in fish tissue from sampling sites 1, 2, 3, and 4 and Pelican Creek, which are well outside of the documented 

spray area, might result from either a historically more 

extensive application program for DDT than that documented by Cope (1961) or from environmental transport in the more than 40 years since the documented 

spraying. DDT application was banned in the United 

States in 1972 due to its persistence in the environment, 

but is still used in other parts of the world.

Organic compounds including DDT are transported atmospherically on a global scale (Nowell and 

others, 1999, p. 199), and deposition can increase with 

altitude (Blais and others, 1998). Global atmospheric 

deposition probably is not the primary source of DDT 

in fish-tissue samples from sites in the area of Yellowstone National Park, however, considering the poor 

correlation of the fish-tissue concentrations of DDT 

and metabolites with either altitude or precipitation. 

Comparison of data from this study to historical 

data indicates concentrations of DDT in fish tissue 

have declined with time in the study area. Both this 

study and Cope (1961) analyzed whole-body brown 

trout from the Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs 

(site 3). Cope reported concentrations of 1,100 μg/kg 

DDT and 500 μg/kg DDE in brown trout collected on 

August 3, 1957, and 1,200 μg/kg DDT and 900 μg/kg 

DDE in brown trout collected on August 11, 1957. The 

brown trout from the same site on August 27, 1998 contained 19 μg/kg p,p′-DDE; the DDT concentration was 

less than the reporting limit of 5 μg/kg. The concentrations of total DDT (sum of DDT and metabolites of 

DDT) in brown trout from site 3 were about two orders 

of magnitude less in 1998 than in 1957. 

The concentration of total DDT in fish also 

appears to have decreased over time in the Yellowstone 

River near Sidney (site 24, table 4). Two samples of 

common carp collected there during 1984, as part of the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Contaminant 

Biomonitoring Program (NCBP) nationwide sampling, 

contained 40 μg/kg and 50 μg/kg total DDT, respectively (Schmitt and others, 1990). The common carp 

collected on July 28, 1998, from the Yellowstone River 

near Sidney contained 13 μg/kg total DDT, all in the 

form of the metabolite p,p′-DDE. The predominance 

of DDE and DDD relative to DDT (fig. 5) in the 1998 

samples is consistent with the environmental degradation of the parent DDT to its metabolites, as described 

by Nowell and others (1999). 
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 13

Table 4. Organic compounds detected in fish-tissue samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998[All concentrations in micrograms per kilograms wet weight, unless expressed otherwise; mm, millimeter; g, gram; <, less than; E, estimated concentration. Concentrations of total chlordane and total DDT are calculated values, and are listed as zero, if all of the respective compounds are less than the reporting limit. Total chlordane includes cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane, trans-nonachlor, and oxychlordane. Total DDT includes o,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDD, p,p′-DDE, and p,p′-DDT.]

Site 

number 

(fig. 1) Station name Fish species

Number 

of fish in

sample

Mean total

length

(mm)

Mean 

weight

(g)

Percent of

fish with 

anomalies

Lipids 

(percent)

Cischlordane Trans- chlordane Trans- nonachlor Oxy- chlordane Total chlordane

1 Yellowstone River at lake outlet cutthroat trout 5 418 641 40 6.3 5.3 <5 <5 <5 5.32 Soda Butte Creek at Park boundary cutthroat trout 7 270 244 0 6.2 <5 <5 <5 <5 03 Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs brown trout 5 392 657 40 6.0 <5 <5 <5 <5 04 West Fork Mill Creek cutthroat trout 7 210 134 0 6.3 <5 <5 <5 <5 05 Clarks Fork Yellowstone River white sucker 8 279 266 50 8.5 <5 <5 <7.7 <5 06 Yellowstone River at Billings white sucker 6 309 331 67 4.9 <5 <5 <5 <5 07 Arrow Creek near Worden white sucker 7 284 284 0 5.5 <5 <5 <5 <5 09

Wood River above Middle Fork Wood River brook trout 8 189 85 38 7.2 <5 <5 <5 <5 0

10 Bighorn River at Kane carp 5 484 1680 20 4.05 <5 5.1 <5 <5 5.1

11 Bighorn Lake at Highway 14A carp 5 449 1134 0 5.9 <5 <5 6.4 5.3 11.7

12 Crow Creek near Pahaska brook trout 7 191 71 0 4.2 <5 <5 <5 <5 013 Sage Creek near Lovell white sucker 6 261 186 0 1.3 <5 <5 <5 <5 014 Shoshone River at mouth carp 5 494 1498 20 4.95 5.2 <5 6.7 <47 11.915 Little Bighorn River at State line brown trout 8 284 243 0 4.6 <5 <5 <5 <5 016 Yellowstone River at Forsyth carp 8 509 1919 0 7.5 <5 <5 <5 <5 017 Tongue River near Dayton brown trout 8 279 228 0 4.2 <5 <5 <5 <5 018 Goose Creek near Acme carp 5 600 3180 80 4.8 <5 <5 5.9 <5 5.918 Goose Creek near Acme white sucker 8 327 395 38 6.1 <5 <5 5.4 <5 5.419 Tongue River at State line white sucker 5 379 630 20 7.9 <5 <5 <5 <5 021 Crazy Woman Creek white sucker 9 230 126 0 1.9 <5 <5 <5 <5 022 Little Powder River white sucker 5 288 253 20 2.4 <5 <5 <5 <5 024 Yellowstone River near Sidney carp 6 478 1542 0 8.5 <5 <5 <5 <5 0
14 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT Table 4. Organic compounds detected in fish-tissue samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued Site number (fig. 1) Station name Fish species o,p′-DDD p,p′-DDD p,p′-DDE p,p′-DDT Total DDT Dieldrin p,p′- Meth- oxychlor Pentchlor- anisol Total PCB Number of compounds detected 1 Yellowstone River at lake outlet cutthroat trout <12 6.9 51.3 6.3 64.5 <5 <5 <5 <50 4 2 Soda Butte Creek at park boundary cutthroat trout <5 <5 7.4 <5 7.4 <5 <5 <5 <50 1 3 Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs brown trout <5 <5 19 <5 19 <5 <5 <5 <50 1 4 West Fork Mill Creek cutthroat trout <5 <5 35 5.7 40.7 <5 <5 <5 <50 2 5 Clarks Fork Yellowstone River white sucker <5 5.4 24 <5 29.4 10 <5 5.E <50 4 6 Yellowstone River at Billings white sucker <5 <5 6.7 <5 6.7 <5 <5 <5 <50 1 7 Arrow Creek near Worden white sucker <5 5.7 7.8 <5 13.5 11 <5 <5 <50 3

9

Wood River above Middle Fork Wood River brook trout <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 0

10 Bighorn River at Kane carp 6.6 <5 38.8 <5 45.4 8.8 8.4 <5 <50 5

11 Bighorn Lake at Highway 14A carp <5 7.2 43 <5 50.2 7.6 <5 <5 <50 5

12 Crow Creek near Pahaska brook trout <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 013 Sage Creek near Lovell white sucker <5 <5 10 <5 10 <5 <5 <5 <50 114 Shoshone River at mouth carp <5 5.8 50.7 <5 56.5 16.7 6.2 <5 <50 615 Little Bighorn River at State line brown trout <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 016 Yellowstone River at Forsyth carp <5 <5 17 <5 17 <5 <5 <5 <50 117 Tongue River near Dayton brown trout <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 018 Goose Creek near Acme carp <5 8.6 58 <5 66.6 <5 <5 <5 190 418 Goose Creek near Acme white sucker <5 <5 13 <5 13 <5 <5 <5 50 319 Tongue River at State line white sucker <5 <5 11 <5 11 <5 <5 <5 56 221 Crazy Woman Creek white sucker <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 022 Little Powder River white sucker <5 <5 <5 <5 0 <5 <5 <5 <50 024 Yellowstone River near Sidney carp <5 <5 13.E <5 13.E <5 <5 <5 <50 1
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 15
16 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

Concentrations of total DDT in fish from the 

YELL also were low compared to the geometric mean 

concentration of 260 μg/kg total DDT in NCBP samples 

from across the United States in 1984 (Schmitt and others, 1990). The median concentration of total DDT in 

the YELL samples was 13 μg/kg; the maximum was 

66.6 μg/kg. Median concentrations of total DDT in 

fish-tissue samples from other NAWQA studies in the 

Rocky Mountain region were 92 μg/kg in the South 

Platte River Basin (Tate and Heiny, 1996), 69 μg/kg in 

the Upper Snake River Basin (Maret and Ott, 1997), and 

9.6 μg/kg in the upper Colorado River Basin (Stephens 

and Deacon, 1998). In an investigation of an irrigation 

drainage project near Riverton, Wyoming (fig. 1), Peterson and others (1991) reported concentrations of 10 to 

20 μg/kg total DDT in rainbow trout and 100 to

200 μg/kg total DDT in common carp. 

Fish samples from Goose Creek (site 18) and the 

Tongue River at State line (site 19) contained PCBs. 

The concentrations of total PCBs were 190 μg/kg in 

carp from Goose Creek, 50 μg/kg in white sucker from 

Goose Creek, and 56 μg/kg in white sucker from the 

Tongue River at site 19. The source of the PCBs in the 

Tongue River might be the tributary inflow from Goose 

Creek. PCBs are synthetic compounds that have been 

banned in the United States since 1979 because of high 

bioconcentration factors, but they were widely used as 

plasticizers, lubricants, and in heat-transfer systems 

such as capacitors (Smith and others, 1988, p. 26-35). 

As noted earlier, Goose Creek receives drainage from 

multiple land uses, including urban development. 

Data from other NAWQA study units in the 

northern and middle Rocky Mountain region indicate 

the occurrence and distribution of PCBs is related to 

land use. In the upper Snake River basin, PCBs were 

detected in 39 percent of the fish-tissue samples, but at 

only mixed and agricultural land use sites, at concentrations ranging from 50 to 1,900 μg/kg (Maret and Ott, 

1997, p. 9, 15). In the South Platte River basin, PCBs 

were detected in 67 percent of the fish-tissue samples at 

concentrations ranging from 56 to 1,000 μg/kg and were 

largest in urban and mixed land-use settings (Tate and 

Heiny, 1996). In contrast, PCBs were detected at only 

one site in the upper Colorado River Basin (Stephens 

and Deacon, 1998). The nationwide average concentration of PCBs in fish tissue from the NCBP was 

390 μg/kg in 1984 (Schmitt and others, 1990). The 

PCB concentrations from an irrigation drainage investigation near Riverton, Wyoming were less than the 

reporting limit for rainbow trout samples and ranged 

from 100 to 150 μg/kg wet weight in common carp samples (Peterson and others, 1991). Concentrations of 

total PCBs, total DDT, and other organochlorine insecticides in fish tissue from the YELL were low compared 

to concentrations from 20 NAWQA study units across 

the United States as reported in Wong and others (2000).

Concentrations of organochlorine compounds in 

fish samples from the YELL were less than the concentrations recommended for the protection of wildlife that 

eat fish: total chlordane and dieldrin, 100 μg/kg; total 

DDT, 1,000 μg/kg; and PCBs, 500 μg/kg (National 

Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering, 1973). Samples of fish fillets from Bighorn 

Lake, Cooney Reservoir, and Tongue River Reservoir in 

the Montana portion of the YELL were analyzed for 

PCBs and no fish consumption advisories were issued 

(Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, 1995). 

A species comparison conducted at one site indicated higher concentrations of some organic compounds in common carp than in white sucker. Concentrations of total PCBs and p,p′-DDE were about 4 times 

as large in common carp as in white sucker collected 

from Goose Creek (table 4). Tate and Heiny (1996, 

p. 70) also found that PCB concentrations were higher 

in common carp than white sucker among fish collected 

at the same sites in the South Platte River basin. 

Bed Sediment

Two of the 27 organochlorine insecticides and 

metabolites and total PCBs that were analyzed in bedsediment samples were detected. Comparison of 

organic compounds analyzed in both fish-tissue and 

bed-sediment samples indicates that of the 12 pesticides 

detected in fish tissue, only trans-chlordane and p,p′-

DDT were detected in bed-sediment samples. The only 

sample that had detectable concentrations was from 

Goose Creek (site 18), which had 1.6 μg/kg transchlordane and 2.2 μg/kg p,p′-DDT (table 5). The more 

extensive occurrence of organochlorine insecticides and 

PCBs in the fish samples probably results from the lipophilic nature of the compounds, chemical partitioning, 

and bioaccumulation. The data suggest that fish are 

more sensitive indicators of insecticide and PCB contamination than bed sediment, when the method reporting limits are similar to each other (table 3).
O

RGANICCOMPOUNDS17

Table 5. Organic compounds detected in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998[All concentrations in micrograms per kilogram dry weight, unless expressed otherwise; g/kg, grams per kilogram; <, less than; E, estimated concentration; NA, not analyzed; *, less than concentration in blank samples (Gilliom and others, 1998)]

Site 

number

transChlordane p,p′-DDT Acenaphthene Anthracene

Benz

[a]

anthracene

Dibenz

[a,h]

anthracene

2-Methylanthracene Chrysene Dibenzo- thiophene Fluoranthene

1 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <502 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <503 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <504 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <505 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <506 <1.0 <2.0 <50 E12 E22 <50 <50 E17 <50 E317 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E.69 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50

10 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50

11 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50

12 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5013 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5014 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5015 <3 <6 <100 <100 <100 <100 <100 <100 <100 <10016 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5017 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5018 1.6 2.2 E5 E43 75 E19 E2 110 <50 21019 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E.3 55 E.00720 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5021 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5022 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5023 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5024 <1.0 <2.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50
18 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT Table 5. Organic compounds detected in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued Site number Benzo [b] fluoranthene Benzo [k] fluoranthene 1-Methyl- 9H- fluorene Naphthalene 1,6-Dimethyl- naphthalene 2,6-Dimethyl- naphthalene 2-Ethyl- naphthalene Benzo [ghi] perylene Phenan- threne 1-Methyl- phenan- threne 1 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E18 <50 <50 <50 <50 2 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 3 <50 <50 <50 <50 E2 E15 <50 <50 <50 <50 4 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 5 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E46 <50 <50 <50 <50 6 E26 E24 <50 <50 E8 E24 E10 E24 E7 <50

7 E5 <50 <50 E4 E7 52 <50 E7 E6 <509 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50

10 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50

11 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E13 <50 <50 <50 <50

12 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5013 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5014 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E12 <50 <50 <50 <5015 <100 <100 <100 <100 E13 190 <100 <100 <100 <10016 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5017 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E50 <50 <50 <50 <5018 120 E41 E10 E20 <50 110 <50 52 120 E1019 E8 <50 <50 <50 E5 78 <50 E10 E.6 <5020 E9 E11 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5021 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5022 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E27 <50 <50 <50 <5023 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <5024 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 <50 E1 <50 <50 <50
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 19

Table 5. Organic compounds detected in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued

Site 

number

4H-cyclopenta

[def]phenanthrene Pyrene

Benzo

[a]

pyrene

Indeno

[1,2,3-cd]

pyrene

Sum of PAHs 

(ug/kg 

sediment)

Sum of PAHs 

(μg/g organic 

carbon) Acridine

9,10-Anthraquinone Carbazole p-Cresol Pentachloro- phenol

1 <50 <50 <50 <50 18 2.6 <50 <50 <50 150 E1502 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA3 <50 <50 <50 <50 17 4.4 <50 <50 <50 120 NA4 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA5 <50 <50 <50 <50 46 4.6 <50 <50 <50 E39 NA6 <50 E31 E27 E27 290 56.9 <50 <50 <50 390 NA7 <50 E4 E2 <50 88 4.4 <50 <50 <50 140 NA9 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA

10 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA

11 <50 <50 <50 <50 13 2.9 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA

12 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA13 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA14 <50 <50 <50 <50 12 3.2 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA15 <100 <100 <100 <100 203 6.8 <100 <100 <100 7400 NA16 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA17 <50 <50 E1 <50 51 2.7 <50 <50 <50 1,200 NA18 E8 170 79 E47 1251 62.6 E2 E42 E10 2,600 NA19 <50 E4 E5 E12 178 8.5 <50 <50 <50 2,600 NA20 <50 <50 <50 <50 20 2.9 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA21 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA22 <50 <50 <50 <50 27 2.8 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA23 <50 <50 <50 <50 0 0.0 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA24 <50 <50 <50 <50 1 0.2 <50 <50 <50 <50 NA
20 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT Table 5. Organic compounds detected in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued Site number Phenol 4,6-Dinitro- 2-methyl- phenol Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Butylbenzyl phthalate Diethyl phthalate Di-n-butyl phthalate Di-n-octyl phthalate 3,5-Xylenol Carbon, organic (g/kg) Percent finer than 0.062 mm Percent 0.062 to 2 mm 1 E15* NA E31* <50 <50 E36* <50 <50 6.9 22 78 2 E23* NA E25* <50 <50 E30* <50 <50 5.2 44 56 3 E4* NA E21* E14* E29 E35* <50 <50 3.9 20 80 4 <50 NA <50 <50 E31 <50 <50 <50 8.5 23 77 5 E15* NA <50 <50 E14* <50 <50 <50 10 63 37 6 E9* NA E28* E17* E39 E37* <50 <50 5.1 26 74

7 E22* NA E27* E13* <50 E28* E20 <50 20 36 649 <50 NA E20* E16* <50 E20* <50 <50 1.2 17 83

10 <50 NA E21* <50 <50 E29* <50 <50 4.7 57 43

11 <50 NA E29* E18* <50 E39* <50 <50 4.5 100 0

12 E4* NA E17* E19* <50 E44* <50 <50 2.9 12 8813 <50 NA E18* <50 <50 E24* <50 <50 1.5 46 5414 <50 E150 E25* <50 <50 E29* <50 <50 3.8 42 5815 140 NA E60* E37* <100 110 <100 <100 30 65 3516 <50 NA E29* E26* <50 E43* <50 <50 4.4 36 6417 E39 NA E29* E19* E2* E36* <50 E29 19 22 7818 92 NA 95* E23* E.6* E35* E28 E13 20 36 6419 86 NA E39* E18* E.6* E33* <50 <50 21 69 3120 <50 NA E38* E18* <50 E38* <50 <50 6.8 69 3121 E8* NA 67* E27* <50 E37* <50 <50 14 54 4622 <50 NA E42* E36* <50 66 <50 <50 9.6 69 3123 <50 NA E35* E15* <50 E18* <50 <50 3.1 8 9224 <50 NA E30* E24* <50 E37* <50 <50 6.2 46 54
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS 21

The other organic compounds detected in bed 

sediment are semivolatile organic compounds 

(SVOCs) that can be loosely grouped into two categories based on occurrence and distribution. The first category contains a broad array of SVOCs detected 

primarily in two specific areas of the study unit. The 

second category contains a few SVOCs, such as 

p-cresol, detected in many areas. 

About 20 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon 

(PAH) compounds occurred in bed-sediment samples 

from the Yellowstone River at Billings (site 6, table 5) 

and Goose Creek (site 18). The maximum concentrations of PAHs also occurred at these two sites, which 

are integrator sites (fig. 6) located near urban areas. 

Major sources of PAHs to aquatic systems nationwide 

include atmospheric deposition, urban sources, industrial discharges, and municipal discharges (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1997). Any or all of the 

major sources identified by the EPA could be contributing PAHs to the bed sediment at sites 6 and 18. Some 

of the same PAHs detected at sites 6 and 18 also were 

detected, generally at lower concentrations, in the samples from site 7 on Arrow Creek and site 19 on the 

Tongue River. The occurrence of PAHs at Arrow 

Creek could reflect either an atmospheric source common to both sites 6 and 7, or contamination of water 

and sediment diverted from the Yellowstone River and 

used to irrigate lands in the Arrow Creek area. The 

occurrence of PAHs at the Tongue River site might be 

a reflection of inflow from Goose Creek. 

Concentrations of PAHs in the YELL bed-sediment samples were less than the criteria for protection 

of aquatic life. After adjusting for organic carbon content of the sediment, the concentrations of individual 

PAHs in the YELL samples, such as benzo (a) pyrene, 

benz (a) anthracene, chrysene, fluoranthene, and 

phenanthrene, were less than the criteria summarized 

by Gilliom and others (1998, p. 25). The sum of the 

PAHs in each of the YELL samples also was less than 

the threshold effect concentration of 290 μg PAH/g 

organic carbon calculated by Swartz (1999, p. 783) 

(fig. 6). 

P-cresol, phthalates, and phenol were detected in 

many of the samples, often at estimated concentrations 

below the normal method reporting limit (table 5). 

One or more PAHs were detected in bed-sediment samples from 14 of 23 sites. Sources of cresols include 

auto and diesel exhaust, petroleum refining, and other 

manufacturing; small quantities originate from natural 

sources (Howard,1989, p. 189-216). P-cresol was 
22 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

detected at nine sites, reaching a maximum concentration of 7,400 μg/kg, which occurred in the bed-sediment sample from the Little Bighorn River (site 15). 

The maximum concentration of phenol, 140 μg/kg, 

also was from the Little Bighorn River. Many of the 

phenol concentrations and nearly all of the phthalate 

concentrations reported from the YELL bed-sediment 

samples were less than the 95th percentile concentration in laboratory blanks (Gilliom and others, 1998). 

For comparing SVOC concentrations in bed sediment 

from NAWQA study units across the United States, 

Gilliom and others (1998, p. 13) corrected for laboratory contamination by subtracting the following concentrations from the measured concentration in each 

environmental sample: 

Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate 100 μg/kg

Di-n-butyl phthalate 54 μg/kg

Butylbenzyl phthalate 64 μg/kg

Phenol 27 μg/kg

Diethyl phthalate 25 μg/kg

Correction factors are not available specifically 

for the YELL data, but the reader should be aware that 

the data for phthalates and phenol likely are influenced 

by laboratory contamination. 

TRACE ELEMENTS

The discussion of trace elements is focused on 

selected elements, as determined from comparison 

with historical concentrations and criteria, and potential adverse effects to either aquatic life or human 

health. 

Fish Tissue

Trace elements are normally present in fish tissue, and many are required micronutrients such as copper and selenium (Sorenson, 1991). In excessive 

concentrations, however, trace elements can negatively 

affect growth, reproduction, and other biological functions. Concentrations of trace elements in fish tissue 

vary between fish species because of physiological, 

environmental, and other factors (Sorenson, 1991). All 

of the trace element concentrations discussed below are 

expressed in μg/g dry weight in liver-tissue samples 

unless noted otherwise. 

The highest concentrations of copper and selenium were in trout samples from forested and mineralized indicator sites (fig. 7), and integrator sites located 

in forested areas. The maximum concentrations of 

copper, selenium, and arsenic occurred in the browntrout sample from a forested indicator site on the Little 

Bighorn River (site 15, table 6). 

Concentrations of cadmium, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and vanadium were 

higher in the sample from the mineralized area indicator site on Soda Butte Creek (site 2) than concentrations from the other two sites where cutthroat trout 

were sampled, including the mineralized area indicator 

site on West Fork Mill Creek (site 4, table 6). Mining 

in the Soda Butte Creek drainage has caused elevated 

concentrations of copper in cutthroat trout collected 

upstream of site 2 (Nimmo and others, 1998). The concentration of copper in the sample of cutthroat trout 

from site 2 on Soda Butte Creek, 207 μg/g, was below 

the range of copper concentrations of 265-605 μg/g dry 

weight in cutthroat trout livers reported by Nimmo and 

others (1998). 

Volcanic and geothermal areas are generally 

known as sources of mercury (Eisler, 1987, p. 4-6), 

which might be responsible for the relatively high mercury concentration in the cutthroat-trout sample from 

the Yellowstone River at the outlet of Yellowstone Lake 

(site 1). The mercury concentration was 0.54 μg/g and 

notably higher than in any other trout samples. Yellowstone Lake lies within an ancient caldera with numerous geothermal features, and the drainage upstream of 

and surrounding the lake is underlain by volcanic rocks 

of Quaternary, Tertiary, and Cretaceous age. 

The selenium concentration in many of the fish 

samples was higher than the background range of 2 to 

8 μg/g in liver cited by the U.S. Department of the Interior (1998) (fig. 7). None of the white sucker or carp 

samples from the YELL exceeded the 25-30 μg/g 

threshold selenium concentration associated with sublethal effects in field studies of warm-water fish (U.S. 

Department of the Interior, 1998). None of the YELL 

trout samples exceeded the 51 μg/g selenium concentration in rainbow trout liver associated with substantial changes in blood chemistry (Lemly, 1996). 

Potentially seleniferous areas are widespread in Wyoming (Case and Cannia, 1988), and elevated concentrations of selenium in water, the aquatic food chain, and 

other media also have been described (See and others, 

1992; Peterson and others, 1991).
TRACE ELEMENTS 23
24 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT Table 6. Trace-element concentrations in fish-liver samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998 [mm, millimeter; g, gram; element concentrations are in micrograms per gram dry weight; <, less than] Site number Fish species Number of fish in sample Mean total length (mm) Mean weight (g) Percent of fish with anomalies Aluminum Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium Boron Cadmium Chromium Cobalt 1 cutthroat trout 8 416 655 38 6.6 <.2 0.7 3.4 <.2 0.3 0.5 0.7 <.2 2 cutthroat trout 7 286 290 0 4.6 <.3 1.1 3.4 <.3 0.7 1.2 1.1 0.6 3 brown trout 5 224 134 0 3.3 <.4 <.4 <.1 <.4 0.6 <.4 <.5 <.4 4 cutthroat trout 7 215 131 0 1.2 <.4 0.5 <.1 <.4 0.6 0.6 0.7 <.4

5 white sucker 8 279 266 50 14.1 <.3 <.3 0.3 <.3 0.5 <.3 <.5 0.36 white sucker 7 286 270 86 7.9 <.3 0.8 0.3 <.3 0.9 <.3 0.6 <.37 white sucker 8 292 295 25 18.3 <.3 0.3 0.2 <.3 0.9 <.3 0.6 <.3

10 common carp 8 503 1744 12 11.7 <.2 1.1 0.3 <.2 <.2 41.2 <.5 0.3

11 common carp 5 449 1134 0 8.9 <.1 1.3 0.2 <.1 0.3 6.3 <.5 0.3

12 brook trout 7 190 73 0 7.4 <.6 <.6 <.1 <.6 2.3 <.6 0.9 0.813 white sucker 6 261 186 0 40.3 <.2 0.9 0.8 <.2 0.9 <.2 0.6 0.314 common carp 5 494 1498 20 14.8 <.2 0.7 0.2 <.2 0.5 12.0 <.5 0.315 brown trout 8 311 332 25 1.4 <.2 1.6 <.1 <.2 0.6 0.3 0.6 0.416 common carp 8 493 1794 25 15.8 <.2 1.2 0.3 <.2 0.4 7.6 <.5 0.317 brown trout 8 276 237 0 3.3 <.2 0.8 <.1 <.2 0.9 <.2 0.6 0.318 white sucker 8 347 482 75 23.4 <.2 0.3 0.3 <.2 0.6 <.2 <.5 <.218 common carp 5 600 3180 80 15.0 <.2 0.5 0.1 <.2 0.5 2.2 <.5 0.419 white sucker 6 335 446 0 1.5 <.1 0.5 0.1 <.1 0.6 0.2 0.7 0.321 white sucker 9 230 126 0 35.1 <.4 0.7 1.0 <.4 1.2 1.0 0.6 <.422 white sucker 5 288 253 20 60.3 <.1 0.5 0.4 <.1 0.5 0.2 0.8 0.324 common carp 7 477 1614 0 43.1 <.1 0.4 1.4 <.1 0.3 4.6 <.5 0.2
TRACE ELEMENTS 25

Table 6. Trace-element concentrations in fish-liver samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued

Site 

number Copper Iron Lead Manganese Mercury Molybdenum Nickel Selenium Silver Strontium Uranium Vanadium Zinc

Water 

(percent)

1 229 889 <.2 5.7 0.54 0.9 <.2 7.9 0.6 0.5 <.2 1.1 126 79.12 207 757 <.3 9.5 0.09 1.3 <.3 22.0 0.3 0.3 <.3 1.6 128 79.83 200 295 <.4 2.3 0.1 0.7 <.4 13.2 <.4 0.4 <.4 <.4 75.5 70.64 196 537 <.4 4.8 <.080 0.8 <.4 13.5 <.4 0.4 <.4 <.4 94.6 77.05 20.6 677 <.3 7.2 0.3 0.7 <.3 5.2 0.3 1.0 <.3 0.5 80.0 76.96 80.1 782 <.3 9.2 <.4 0.9 <.3 5.5 0.5 1.2 <.3 0.4 120 80.57 7.4 1000 <.3 4.4 <.3 0.3 <.3 5.9 <.3 0.8 <.3 0.5 61.2 80.1

10 138 1300 0.2 4.6 0.77 1.7 <.2 11.5 0.3 2.1 <.2 2.9 882 74.2

11 62.2 457 <.1 4.7 0.47 1.5 <.1 7.8 0.2 0.7 <.1 2.2 856 69.9

12 71.9 878 <.6 3.9 <.6 0.9 <.6 10.9 <.6 0.5 <.6 0.7 103 76.713 66.1 638 <.2 16.0 <.2 0.7 0.2 19.2 0.7 3.2 <.2 0.6 113 79.314 71.3 892 <.2 4.7 0.71 1.8 <.2 9.2 0.3 0.8 <.2 3.4 762 72.515 397 489 <.2 3.7 0.13 0.9 <.2 44.9 1.6 <.1 <.2 0.4 90.2 76.416 78.2 677 <.2 6.6 0.29 1.4 0.2 7.8 0.6 1.4 <.2 1.2 976 67.217 194 450 <.2 6.5 0.14 0.8 <.2 22.4 2.3 <.1 <.2 0.3 98.5 77.118 48.2 344 <.2 10.8 0.08 0.9 <.2 4.9 0.7 0.5 <.2 0.5 98.7 76.218 62.5 369 <.2 5.7 0.33 1.6 <.2 8.4 0.5 0.5 <.2 1.8 634 75.819 55.5 212 <.1 9.1 <.1 0.9 <.1 6.7 0.3 0.8 <.1 0.3 115 76.521 162 1080 <.4 12.4 <.4 1.3 <.4 11.7 1.0 2.1 <.4 0.7 199 82.222 98.8 358 <.1 7.4 0.2 0.7 <.1 6.4 0.6 1.6 <.1 0.4 135 79.624 62.0 660 0.2 4.7 0.14 0.7 0.3 5.7 0.3 1.0 <.1 0.8 713 65.6
26 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

Comparison of white sucker to common carp 

sampled on the same date from Goose Creek indicated 

concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, mercury, 

molybdenum, selenium, vanadium, and zinc were 

higher in the common carp than in the white sucker 

(table 6). Elevated concentrations of cadmium and 

zinc in common carp relative to other fish species have 

been noted by Schmitt and Brumbaugh (1990) and 

Heiny and Tate (1997). 

Whole-body composite samples of brook trout 

were collected from the Wood River (site 9) and Crow 

Creek (site 12) (table 7). Concentrations of arsenic, 

copper, mercury and zinc in samples from the two sites 

are less than no-effect levels or within the range of 

background concentrations for whole-body fish, but 

selenium concentrations are within the level of concern 

of 2 to 4 μg/g described by the U.S. Department of the 

Interior (1998). The concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc in the 

whole-body trout from sites 9 and 12 were near or less 

than the NCBP 85th percentile concentrations for the 

United States (Schmitt and Brumbaugh, 1990) and also 

were within the range of concentrations in whole-body 

fish from the Bighorn River and Wind River (Ramirez 

and Armstrong, 1992). 

Bed Sediment

The concentrations of trace elements in natural 

waters are often much lower than would be expected on 

the basis of either equilibrium solubility calculations or 

of supply to the water from various sources. The most 

common reason for the low concentrations is adsorption of the element onto a solid phase (Drever, 1997) 

because bed sediment can serve as a sink for trace elements. Organic matter generally interacts strongly 

with trace metals; however, statistical analysis of 

selected trace elements indicated the concentrations 

were not correlated with the organic carbon concentration in the YELL samples. 

Table 7. Trace-element concentrations in whole-body brook trout samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998

[mm, millimeter; g, gram. Element concentrations in micrograms per gram dry weight]

Site 

number

Number of 

fish in 

sample

Mean total 

length 

(mm)

Mean 

weight

(g)

Percent of 

fish with 

anomalies Aluminum Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium

9 8 180 67 0 57.0 <.2 <.2 3.6 <.2

12 6 177 77 0 147 <.2 0.3 3.7 <.2

Site 

number Boron Cadium Chromium Cobalt Copper Iron Lead

Manganese Mercury

9 0.3 <.2 1.6 0.5 5.3 138 <.2 5.8 0.01

12 0.6 <.2 2.3 0.4 4.0 437 <.2 12.5 0.04

Site 

number

Molybdenum Nickel Selenium Silver Strontium Uranium Vanadium ZincWater 

(percent)

9 <.2 0.4 2.8 <.2 52.0 <.2 0.3 66.2 74.1

12 <.2 0.5 2.9 <.2 39.1 <.2 1.5 60.7 73.2
TRACE ELEMENTS 27

Forty-four trace elements were analyzed in streambed sediment (table 8) at sites in the Yellowstone 

River Basin. Concentrations of four of these elements 

potentially exceeded criteria for the protection of 

aquatic biota. Because of their elevated concentrations 

and their toxicity in the aquatic ecosystem, arsenic, 

chromium, copper, and lead were selected for detailed 

presentation in this section. 

The concentrations of the four selected trace elements at sites representing the different land-use categories in the YELL study unit are shown in figure 8. 

Median copper and lead concentrations were highest at 

mineralized sites. Median arsenic concentration was 

highest at the single agriculture site. Median chromium 

concentration was highest at the single reference site.

The concentrations of the four selected trace elements in relation to the different geologic units on which 

sites are located in the YELL study unit are shown in figure 9. Median concentrations of chromium, copper, and 

lead were highest at the sites located in Tertiary and Cretaceous volcanic rocks. Median arsenic concentration 

was highest at the sites located in the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. 

For comparative purposes, sediment criteria for 

protection of aquatic life are shown in figure 8 and historical concentrations for the YELL are shown in 

figure 9. There are no State guidelines for evaluating 

trace elements in sediment in Wyoming or Montana. 

The sediment quality guidelines for trace elements considered most toxic to aquatic life from the Canadian 

Council of Ministers of the Environment (2000) are 

used for reference with the YELL data. The Canadian 

guidelines have two levels: a lower value, referred to as 

an interim sediment quality guideline (ISQG), and an 

upper value, referred to as the probable effect level 

(PEL). Concentrations below the ISQGs are not 

expected to be associated with any adverse biological 

effects, whereas concentrations above the PELs are 

expected to be frequently associated with adverse biological effects. Concentrations between ISQGs and 

PELs represent the range in which effects are occasionally observed. Historical concentrations for trace elements in sediment for the YELL were calculated by 

Peterson and Zelt (1999), from data collected for the 

National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. The NURE data consisted of about 13,000 samples collected in the YELL study unit area during 1974-

79 as part of a nationwide, systematic study of uranium 

resources. Summary statistics for NURE trace element 

data from eight geologic units were compiled by Peterson and Zelt (1999); the 50th and 95th percentile data 

are used as historical data for this report. The NURE 

samples were sieved through 150 μm mesh, whereas the 

Canadian guidelines are based on the concentrations of 

elements in bulk sediment, and the YELL samples were 

sieved through 62 μm mesh. The differences in size 

fraction might cause the YELL samples to be biased 

high relative to the NURE data and the bulk sediment 

guidelines, because trace metal concentrations commonly are inversely related to sediment grain size 

(Horowitz, 1991, p. 16-22). 

Arsenic exceeded the ISQG of 5.9 μg/g at 

17 sites. The highest concentration (41 μg/g) occurred 

at Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs (site 3), which 

was the only site that exceeded the PEL of 17 μg/g. Historical arsenic concentrations for the YELL were not 

available from the NURE data.

Chromium exceeded the ISQG of 37.3 μg/g at all 

24 sites. The PEL of 90 μg/g was exceeded at nine sites 

with a maximum concentration of 180 μg/g at Yellowstone River at Corwin Springs (site 3). None of the 

chromium concentrations exceeded the 95th percentile 

historical concentration (fig. 9).

Copper exceeded the ISQG of 35.7 μg/g at eight 

sites, with a maximum concentration of 67 μg/g at 

Arrow Creek near Worden (site 7). None of the samples 

approached the PEL of 197 μg/g (fig. 8). The copper 

concentration in two samples exceeded the 95th percentile YELL historical concentration for Tertiary and Cretaceous volcanic rocks; and one copper concentration 

exceeded the 95th percentile historical concentration for 

Tertiary sedimentary rocks (fig. 9).

Lead exceeded the ISQG of 35 μg/g at two sites: 

West Fork Mill Creek, site 4 (37 μg/g) and Wood River, 

site 8 (36 μg/g). The PEL of lead is 91.3 μg/g (fig. 8). 

Several of the lead concentrations also exceeded the 

95th percentile NURE historical concentration (fig. 9).

Selected trace-element concentrations in bed sediment from the YELL were compared to those from the 

South Platte (SPLT) and Upper Colorado (UCOL) 

NAWQA study units (fig. 10). These three study units 

are all located in the Rocky Mountains with similar land 

uses and geology. The Kruskall-Wallis rank sum statistical test (Helsel and Hirsch, 1992) was performed on 

the streambed sediment data to determine if the differences in the trace element concentrations among the 

three study units were significant. Significant differ-
2

8FISHTISSUEANDBEDSEDIMENT

Table 8. Trace-element concentrations in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998[Values in micrograms per gram dry weight unless expressed as percentage (%); --, no data]

Site 

number

Aluminum 

(%)

Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium Bismuth Cadmium Calcium 

(%)

Cerium Chromium Cobalt Copper

1 6.5 0.9 15 1100 2 <1 0.1 2.2 78 130 11 172 9.2 .2 2.3 1400 1 <1 .2 4.7 61 170 28 433 6.8 1.0 41 1000 2 <1 .3 3.0 88 180 24 394 7.1 .5 7.0 1200 2 <1 .4 2.0 79 100 18 395 6.9 .5 6.0 640 2 <1 .3 3.3 68 78 17 426 6.6 .7 15 800 2 <1 .3 2.7 67 100 14 367 7.1 .5 12 730 1 <1 .3 2.1 58 83 11 238 8.3 .1 3.6 1500 2 <1 .2 3.0 110 120 20 649 7.8 .2 7.4 1400 2 <1 .2 2.9 96 130 21 67

10 5.2 .6 6.1 690 1 <1 .2 1.9 65 63 7 18

11 9.7 .8 6.7 590 2 <1 .5 1.7 81 86 12 22

12 7.6 .2 3.6 1200 2 <1 .1 3.2 69 160 23 3813 5.6 .6 8.6 700 2 <1 .2 2.9 68 66 8 1814 5.6 .5 7.5 610 2 <1 .2 2.7 63 68 9 2115 5.1 .2 4.3 370 1 <1 .2 11 71 55 8 1116 6.0 .5 11 780 2 <1 .2 2.8 70 93 11 2317 5.4 .2 4.3 640 1 <1 .2 5.1 120 62 9 1418 5.8 .5 5.2 530 1 <1 .4 3.3 72 54 9 1719 6.3 .5 6.1 560 2 <1 .3 3.5 72 56 10 1720 7.5 .9 7.8 650 3 <1 .3 2.0 63 74 10 2221 5.7 .8 7.6 650 2 <1 .4 1.9 70 53 8 1922 8.4 .8 4.9 510 2 <1 .3 2.0 60 73 9 2023 6.0 .7 8.0 720 2 <1 .3 3.7 70 68 8 1924 5.7 .6 8.8 810 2 <1 .2 2.7 69 74 10 20
TRACE ELEMENTS 29

Table 8. Trace-element concentrations in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued

Site 

number

Europium Gallium Gold Holmium Iron 

(%)

Lanthanum Lead Lithium Magnesium 

(%)

Manganese Mercury Molybdenum

1 1 16 <1 1 2.4 48 22 20 1.2 370 0.05 1.02 1 14 <1 <1 5.2 32 23 20 4.0 920 .02 <.53 1 17 <1 1 5.5 53 21 20 2.1 720 .20 1.04 2 18 <1 <1 4.6 46 37 20 1.1 710 .09 1.05 1 17 <1 <1 4.2 38 18 30 2.2 550 .06 .96 1 15 <1 1 3.6 40 29 30 1.8 630 .04 .97 1 14 <1 1 3.0 37 18 30 1.5 490 .04 .98 2 19 <1 <1 3.6 65 36 20 2.2 670 <.02 1.09 2 18 <1 <1 3.9 59 33 20 2.3 670 .02 .9

10 1 12 <1 1 2.0 39 17 30 .97 350 .02 .6

11 1 21 <1 1 3.3 46 23 50 1.6 350 .04 1.0

12 1 18 <1 <1 4.8 42 20 20 2.4 830 .03 .513 1 13 <1 1 2.4 40 18 30 1.5 380 .03 .914 1 13 <1 1 2.5 37 18 30 1.3 470 .03 .815 <1 10 <1 1 2.2 37 12 30 2.3 460 .02 .716 1 14 <1 <1 2.9 41 18 30 1.5 470 .03 .617 2 11 <1 2 2.7 74 18 30 1.8 410 .03 <.518 1 12 <1 1 2.3 39 20 30 1.6 760 .04 .719 1 13 <1 1 2.7 40 17 30 1.6 770 .05 .920 1 18 <1 <1 2.9 39 23 40 1.5 350 .04 .821 1 13 <1 <1 2.3 41 18 30 1.2 380 .03 1.022 1 20 <1 <1 2.4 36 21 40 .92 400 .06 .923 1 14 <1 <1 2.5 42 18 40 1.2 370 .03 1.024 1 13 <1 <1 2.5 41 17 20 1.4 420 .03 .7
30 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT Table 8. Trace-element concentrations in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued Site number Neodymium Nickel Niobium Phosphorus (%) Potassium (%) Scandium Selenium Silver Sodium (%) Strontium Sulfur (%) Tantalum 1 34 41 20 0.094 1.7 7 0.1 0.69 1.8 600 0.06 1 2 25 88 7 .10 1.7 19 .1 .7 2.2 760 <.05 <1 3 38 51 19 .10 1.6 14 .4 .67 1.5 560 .25 1 4 35 39 10 .15 1.9 12 .7 <1 1.4 380 .05 1 5 34 38 10 .10 2.1 12 .5 <1 .67 310 .05 1 6 31 36 14 .10 1.9 10 .7 .54 .95 320 .16 1 7 30 27 11 .11 1.8 9 .7 <.1 1.1 320 .19 <1

8 44 58 10 .16 1.7 12 .1 .56 1.9 740 <.05 19 39 60 10 .14 1.6 12 .2 .5 1.8 680 <.05 2

10 30 21 14 .074 1.7 6 .4 .51 .49 170 <.05 <1

11 37 31 17 .081 2.0 11 .5 <.1 .29 170 <.05 1

12 30 52 7 .16 1.4 14 .4 .4 1.7 660 <.05 <113 31 23 15 .090 1.8 6 .6 .5 .67 200 <.05 <114 29 25 14 .085 1.8 7 .6 .51 .52 180 .05 <115 31 26 10 .11 2.0 7 .8 <.1 .19 150 .06 <116 32 38 8 .10 1.7 10 .5 .74 .92 280 .09 117 62 21 12 .14 2.0 8 1.1 <.1 .51 150 .11 <118 33 21 11 .11 1.6 7 .8 <.1 .37 160 .17 <119 32 22 12 .10 1.7 7 .6 .1 .35 170 .11 <120 30 25 11 .068 2.1 11 .6 .58 .38 190 .07 121 33 20 10 .079 1.9 8 .6 .55 .34 120 .08 122 26 20 12 .042 1.6 11 .5 .6 .26 190 .24 123 33 22 10 .085 1.8 9 .7 .66 .44 190 .12 124 33 24 9 .092 1.8 9 .4 .48 .77 210 .06 1
TRACE ELEMENTS 31

Table 8. Trace-element concentrations in bed-sediment samples, Yellowstone River Basin, 1998--Continued

Site 

number

Thallium Thorium Tin Titanium 

(%)

Uranium Vanadium Ytterbium Yttrium Zinc Inorganic carbon 

(%)

Total carbon 

(%)

1 <1 9.0 2 0.30 2.0 69 2 22 65 0.01 1.902 <1 3.6 1 .50 .85 140 1 8 76 .07 .73 <1 9.4 2 .51 1.7 190 2 23 100 .12 1.274 <1 9.3 2 .41 3.6 90 2 19 120 .02 3.165 <1 10 2 .33 3.0 110 2 20 100 .70 1.706 <1 9.6 2 .35 2.5 130 2 21 100 .62 1.937 <1 10 2 .32 2.7 100 3 21 86 .37 1.678 <1 11 1 .43 2.3 98 1 14 80 .1 .359 <1 9.9 1 .44 2.3 110 1 13 83 .05 .59

10 <1 11 1 .29 2.7 88 2 20 71 .58 1.05

11 <1 14 4 .39 4.0 140 3 26 110 .37 .91

12 <1 6.6 1 .47 2.1 150 1 14 88 .01 1.9813 <1 11 2 .27 2.7 100 2 22 76 1.14 1.4414 <1 10 2 .28 2.6 96 2 21 80 .98 1.5215 <1 12 2 .27 2.3 49 3 24 53 3.63 6.7116 <1 12 2 .36 3.0 110 2 20 75 .71 1.4317 <1 22 2 .34 3.8 62 5 34 53 1.73 5.1918 <1 12 3 .28 2.8 75 3 22 93 1.19 3.5619 <1 12 3 .25 2.7 78 3 20 75 1.23 3.1920 <1 12 3 .32 3.7 120 2 20 96 .65 1.2921 <1 13 2 .32 3.6 86 2 21 68 .65 1.4222 <1 12 3 .39 3.6 110 2 17 87 .53 1.4723 <1 13 2 .32 4.0 100 2 22 76 1.23 2.0124 <1 11 2 .34 3.3 92 2 20 67 .83 1.52
32 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 
TRACE ELEMENTS 33
34 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 
TRACE ELEMENTS 35

ences (p<0.05) exist among the study units for all four 

selected trace elements. The data were then analyzed 

by the Wilcoxon rank sum statistical test to determine 

which groups were significantly different at the 

0.05 level. The letters A, B, and C were assigned to 

each boxplot (fig. 10) to denote significant statistical 

differences in the data sets. Boxplots that have the 

same letter indicate the data sets were not significantly 

different from each other, and boxplots that have different letters indicate significant differences. Arsenic 

concentrations in the YELL were similar to those in the 

SPLT but significantly lower than those in the UCOL. 

Chromium concentrations were significantly higher in 

the YELL than in the other basins. Copper concentrations in the YELL were similar to those in the UCOL 

but significantly lower than those in the SPLT. Lead 

concentrations were significantly lower in the YELL 

than in the other study units.

Mercury Study

Samples were collected at five sites for analysis 

of mercury in fish muscle and bed sediment, in coordination with the USGS National Mercury Project 

(Krabbenhoft and others, 1999). Concentrations of 

mercury in muscle tissue from predatory game fish 

ranged from 0.743 to 3.45 μg/g dry weight (table 9). 

The higher mercury concentrations were in walleye 

from the Bighorn River (site 10), Bighorn Lake 

(site 11), and the Shoshone River (site 14). The walleye sample from Bighorn Lake (site 11) contained a 

higher concentration of mercury than the mercury concentrations in carp from Bighorn Lake reported by 

McDowell (1973). Higher concentrations of mercury 

in predatory walleye compared with the omnivorous 

carp are expected because of bioaccumulation and biomagnification (Eisler, 1987, Phillips and others, 1980). 

The mercury concentrations in walleye from sites 10, 

11, and 14 are within the range of mercury concentrations in walleye from Bighorn Lake collected by the 

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks 

(MFWP). The Montana Department of Public Health 

and Human Services (1995) issued a fish consumption 

advisory for Bighorn Lake, Tongue River Reservoir, 

and Cooney Reservoir in the Yellowstone River Basin 

on the basis of the MFWP samples. Additional information on fish consumption advisories is available 

from the State and a website at: http://www.epa.gov/

OST/fish/mercury.html. 

The smallmouth bass sampled at site 19 on the 

Tongue River had the smallest concentration of mercury of the fish sampled. Nonpoint sources accounted 

for more than 80 percent of the mercury inputs to 

Tongue River Reservoir, which is located a few miles 

downstream of site 19 (Phillips and others, 1987). The 

mercury concentrations in the smallmouth bass from 

the Tongue River and sauger from the Yellowstone 

River near Sidney (site 24) were similar to the median 

and mean concentrations of mercury from a national 

study of chemical residues in fish (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1992). 

Table 9. Mercury concentrations in fish-muscle and bed-sediment samples collected in cooperation with the National 

Mercury Project

[g, grams; Hg, mercury; μg/g, micrograms per gram; ng/g, nanograms per gram; NA, not available]

Site 

number Site name Fish species

Number 

of fish

Average 

fish 

weight

(g)

Total Hg in Fish Sediment

Dry weight 

(μg/g)

Wet weight 

(μg/g)

Methyl 

Hg (ng/g)

Total 

Hg (ng/g)

10 Bighorn River walleye 5 452 3.29 0.635 0.60 16.3

11 Bighorn Lake walleye 5 896 3.38 0.676 0.59 33.0

14 Shoshone River walleye 1 1,444 3.25 0.669 0.53 11.1

14 Shoshone River walleye 5 817 3.45 0.666 .53 11.1

19 Tongue River smallmouth bass 1 299 0.743 0.153 3.05 27.7

24 Yellowstone River near Sidney sauger 2 176 1.29 0.250 NA 18.7
36 FISH TISSUE AND BED SEDIMENT 

Only a small fraction of the mercury present in 

the bed sediment was in the form of methyl mercury 

(table 9). Methyl mercury is of interest because it is the 

most toxic form of mercury (Eisler, 1987). The percentage of total mercury in the methyl form in the sediment samples ranged from 1.8 percent at Bighorn 

Lake to 11 percent in the Tongue River. The concentration of methyl mercury in the sediment from the 

Tongue River was 3.05 nanograms per gram (ng/g) dry 

weight, considerably higher than the other samples that 

contained 0.53 to 0.60 ng/g (table 9). 

SUMMARY 

An investigation of the Yellowstone River Basin 

was started in 1997 as part of the USGS NAWQA program. One element of the integrated approach used by 

NAWQA is the determination of the occurrence and 

distribution of organic compounds and trace elements 

in fish tissue and bed sediment. During 1998, bedsediment samples were collected at 24 sites in the study 

area, and fish-tissue samples were collected at 21 of 

those sites. 

Organochlorine insecticides were detected in 

fish tissue at relatively low concentrations. The 

organic compound most frequently detected in fish was 

p,p′-DDE, which occurred at 71 percent of the sampling sites. The presence of DDT and its metabolites in 

fish tissue from sites in Yellowstone Park and nearby 

areas likely is a result of historical DDT spraying programs for spruce budworm. Brown trout samples collected in conjunction with DDT spraying in the Park 

during 1957 contained about two orders of magnitude 

more total DDT than brown trout collected from the 

same site during 1998. Organochlorine insecticides 

were not detected in samples from six sites in other 

parts of the study area. Fish tissue from two sites contained PCBs. None of the concentrations of organochlorine insecticides or PCBs exceeded the 

guidelines for protection of wildlife that eat fish. The 

concentrations of insecticides and PCBs generally were 

low compared to concentrations from other NAWQA 

studies in the Rocky Mountain area and national level 

fish-tissue studies. 

Comparison of concentrations for the 27 organochlorine insecticides and metabolites, and total 

PCBs analyzed in both tissue and bed sediment indicates that more compounds were detected in the fish 

tissue than the bed sediment. Of the 12 insecticides 

detected in fish tissue, only trans-chlordane and p,p′-

DDT were detected in bed-sediment samples. The 

higher concentrations and more extensive occurrence 

of organochlorine insecticides and PCBs in the fish 

samples probably results from the lipophilic nature of 

the compounds, chemical partitioning, and bioaccumulation. The data suggest that fish are more sensitive 

indicators of insecticide and PCB contamination than 

bed sediment. 

Bed-sediment samples also were analyzed for 

semivolatile organic compounds (which were not analyzed in fish tissue). About 20 polynuclear aromatic 

hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in bed-sediment 

samples from integrator sites in the Billings area and 

the Goose Creek area near Sheridan; a few PAHs were 

detected at other sites.

Concentrations of selenium in many of the fishtissue samples were above background levels. Concentrations of cadmium, chromium, selenium, and several 

other trace elements were higher in cutthroat trout from 

a mining indicator site on Soda Butte Creek than two 

other sites where cutthroat trout were sampled. 

Median concentrations of arsenic, chromium, 

copper, and lead were higher in bed-sediment samples 

from mineralized areas than non-mineralized areas. 

Median concentrations of chromium, copper, and lead 

were highest at sites located in areas of Tertiary and 

Cretaceous volcanic rocks. The median concentration 

of arsenic was highest at sites located in Cretaceous 

sedimentary rocks. Concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead in some of the bed-sediment 

samples potentially exceed Canadian criteria for the 

protection of aquatic life, but generally did not exceed 

95th percentile historical concentrations for the YELL.

Fish-tissue and bed-sediment samples collected 

in coordination with the USGS National Mercury 

Project indicated concentrations of mercury ranging 

from 0.743 to 3.45 μg/g dry weight in game fish fillets 

from five sites. Methyl mercury comprised 1.8 to 

11 percent of the total mercury in the bed-sediment 

samples from the 5 sites.
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