Prepared in cooperation with the

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Water Quality of Camp Creek, Costello Creek, 

and Other Selected Streams on the South Side of 

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4260

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Cover photograph: View of Costello Creek with Camp Creek in foreground, June 1, 2000. Photograph by Tim 

Brabets, U.S. Geological Survey
Water Quality of Camp Creek, Costello Creek, 

and Other Selected Streams on the South Side 

of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

By Timothy P. Brabets and Matthew S. Whitman

Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4260

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

GALE A. NORTON, Secretary

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Charles G. Groat, Director

Use of firm, trade, and brand names in this report is for identification purposes only and does not 

constitute endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Anchorage, Alaska, 2002

For additional information write to: 

Alaska Science Center 

Chief, Office of Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey

4230 University Drive, Suite 201

Anchorage, AK 99508-4664

For more information on the USGS in Alaska, you may connect to the Alaska Science Center Home Page at:

http://alaska.usgs.gov

For more information on all USGS reports and products (including maps, images, and computerized

data), call 1-888-ASK-USGS

Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4260
i

CONTENTS

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

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

Purpose and Scope ............................................................................................................................................................................4

Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................................................................................4

Description of Study Area ........................................................................................................................................................................5

Methods of Data Collection and Analysis ........................................................................................................................................8

Water quality of Camp Creek, Costello Creek, and other selected streams ...........................................................................................12

Physical properties ..........................................................................................................................................................................12

Streamflow and suspended sediment ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Specific conductance.............................................................................................................................................................. 12

pH........................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Water temperature .................................................................................................................................................................. 15

Dissolved Oxygen .................................................................................................................................................................. 15

Alkalinity................................................................................................................................................................................ 15

Major ions and dissolved solids ............................................................................................................................................. 15

Nutrients and organic carbon ..........................................................................................................................................................18

Organic compounds ........................................................................................................................................................................21

Trace elements ................................................................................................................................................................................23

Cluster and discriminant analysis of trace element data in bed sediments.............................................................................................29

Physical habitat and biology of Camp Creek and Costello Creek..........................................................................................................33

Physical habitat ...............................................................................................................................................................................33

Invertebrates....................................................................................................................................................................................33

Algae ...............................................................................................................................................................................................36

Summary and Conclusions.....................................................................................................................................................................39

References Cited.....................................................................................................................................................................................40

Appendix ................................................................................................................................................................................................43

FIGURES

Figures 1-3. Maps showing:

1. Location of Denali National Park and Preserve and the Cook Inlet Basin ........................................................................... 2

2. Shaded relief of the Susitna River Basin, south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, and sampling sites ................ 3

3. Camp Creek and Costello Creek watersheds ........................................................................................................................ 4

4. Photograph of the Dunkle Mine looking southwest towards confluence of Camp Creek and Costello Creek .................... 5

Figures 5-6. Maps showing:

5. Locations and drainage basins of sampling sites in south side of Denali National Park and Preserve ................................ 6

6. Geology of the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve ......................................................................................... 7

Figures 7-8. Photographs showing:

7. Camp Creek........................................................................................................................................................................... 8

8. Costello Creek....................................................................................................................................................................... 9

Figures 9-10. Diagrams showing:

9. Trilinear diagram of water samples from Camp Creek and Costello Creek ....................................................................... 19

10. Trilinear diagrams of water samples collected at sites on the south side of Denali National Park

 and Preserve...................................................................................................................................................................... 20

11. Dendograms of the cluster regions of sites with trace element bed sediment data........................................................... 33

12. Major geomorphic features of the Camp Creek study reach ............................................................................................ 34

13. Major geomorphic features of the Costello Creek below Camp Creek study reach......................................................... 35

14. Invertebrate community metrics from Camp Creek and Costello Creek compared to national land-use values.............. 37

15. Relative abundance of diatoms at sampling sites for each species making up more than 10 percent of a sample........... 38

16. Algal status index for Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek ................................................................... 39
ii

TABLES

1. Water-quality sites, south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska ................................................................................. 10

2. Discharge, physical properties, and suspended sediment measured at Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska .................... 13

3. Discharge, physical properties, and suspended sediment measured at Costello Creek below Camp Creek near 

Colorado, Alaska............................................................................................................................................................................... 13

4. Ranges in streamflow and physical properties for water-quality sites on the south side of Denali National Park and 

Preserve, Alaska................................................................................................................................................................................ 14

5. Major dissolved inorganic constituents measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near 

Colorado, Alaska............................................................................................................................................................................... 16

6. Major dissolved inorganic constituents measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek near 

Colorado, Alaska............................................................................................................................................................................... 16

7. Ranges in concentrations of water-quality samples collected at sites located in the south side of Denali National Park and

 Preserve, Alaska............................................................................................................................................................................... 17

8. Results of regression analysis relating concentrations of dissolved solids and major ions to specific conductance in 

streamflow samples collected from streams, south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska.......................................... 21

9. Nutrient and organic carbon concentrations measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado,

 Alaska .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 22

10. Nutrient and organic carbon concentrations measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

near Colorado, Alaska....................................................................................................................................................................... 22

11. Organic compounds analyzed for detection in bed sediments of Costello Creek above Camp Creek, Camp Creek, and 

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska .............................................................................................................. 23

12. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Costello Creek above Camp Creek at mouth

 near Colorado, Alaska...................................................................................................................................................................... 23

13. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska.................................... 24

14. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Costello Creek below Camp Creek near 

Colorado, Alaska............................................................................................................................................................................... 24

15. Trace element concentrations measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska............. 25

16. Trace element concentrations measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek

 near Colorado, Alaska...................................................................................................................................................................... 26 

17. Correlation coefficients for aluminum, iron, and suspended sediment for Camp Creek and Costello Creek below

 Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska................................................................................................................................................. 27

18. Summary of dissolved trace element concentrations from previous studies compared to ranges of dissolved trace element 

concentrations from Camp Creek and Costello Creek near Colorado, Alaska................................................................................. 27

19. Dissolved concentrations of selected trace elements that have established water-quality standards for protection of 

aquatic life......................................................................................................................................................................................... 28

20. Trace element concentrations measured in fish tissue samples collected from Costello Creek above Camp Creek, 

Camp Creek, and Costello Creek below Camp Creek ...................................................................................................................... 28

21. Trace element concentrations measured in bed sediment samples collected from sites on the south side of 

Denali National Park and Preserve ................................................................................................................................................... 30

22. Concentrations of selected trace elements in bed material from various studies ............................................................................ 32

23. Concentrations of trace elements, percent organic carbon, and mean PEC quotient for sites on south side of 

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska ...................................................................................................................................... 32

24. Invertebrate community metrics...................................................................................................................................................... 38

25. Metric values for algae samples ...................................................................................................................................................... 39

Appendix 1. Benthic macroinvertebrate data ........................................................................................................................................ 44

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data......................................................................................................................................................... 48
iii

CONVERSION FACTORS, WATER-QUALITY ABBREVIATIONS, AND VERTICAL 

DATUM 

Multiply by To obtain

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter 

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second

ton 0.9072 megagram

Degree Fahrenheit °F = 1.8 (°C) + 32 Degree Celsius

Chemical concentration and water temperature are given only in metric units. Chemical concentration in water is given in milligrams per 

liter (mg/L) or micrograms per liter (μg/L). Milligrams per liter is a unit expressing the solute mass per unit volume (liter) of water. One 

thousand micrograms per liter is equivalent to 1 milligram per liter. For concentrations less than 7,000 milligrams per liter, the numerical 

value is about the same as for concentrations in parts per million. Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter (μS/cm) 

at 25°C.

Sea level: In this report, “sea level” refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929—A geodetic datum derived from a general 

adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929.

ADDITIONAL ABBREVIATIONS

CCME - Canadian Council of Ministers for the Environment

DNPP - Denali National Park and Preserve

TEC - Threshold Effect Concentration

TEL - Threshold Effect Level

PEC - Probable Effect Concentration

PEL - Probable Effect Level

NAWQA - National Water-Quality Assessment
iv
1

Water Quality of Camp Creek, Costello 

Creek, and Other Selected Streams on the 

South Side of Denali National Park and 

Preserve, Alaska

By Timothy P. Brabets and Matthew S. Whitman

ABSTRACT

The Camp and Costello Creek watersheds are located 

on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve. The 

Dunkle Mine, an abandoned coal mine, is located near the 

mouth of Camp Creek. Due to concern about runoff from 

the mine and its possible effects on the water quality and 

aquatic habitat of Camp Creek and its receiving stream, 

Costello Creek, these two streams were studied during the 

summer runoff months (June to September) in 1999 and 

2000 as part of a cooperative study with the National Park 

Service. Since the south side of Denali National Park and 

Preserve is part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National 

Water-Quality Assessment Cook Inlet Basin study unit, an 

additional part of this study included analysis of existing 

water-quality data at 23 sites located throughout the south 

side of Denali National Park and Preserve to compare with 

the water quality of Camp and Costello Creeks and to 

obtain a broader understanding of the water quality in this 

area of the Cook Inlet Basin.

Analysis of water column, bed sediment, fish, invertebrate, and algae data indicate no effects on the water quality 

of Camp Creek from the Dunkle Mine. Although several 

organic compounds were found in the streambed of Camp 

Creek, all concentrations were below recommended levels 

for aquatic life and most of the concentrations were below 

the minimum reporting level of 50 μg/kg. Trace element 

concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in the bed 

sediments of Camp Creek exceeded threshold effect concentrations (TEC), but concentrations of these trace elements were also exceeded in streambed sediments of 

Costello Creek above Camp Creek. Since the percent 

organic carbon in Camp Creek is relatively high, the toxicity quotient of 0.55 is only slightly above the threshold 

value of 0.5. Costello Creek has a relatively low organic 

carbon content and has a higher toxicity quotient of 1.19.

Analysis of the water-quality data for other streams 

located in the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve indicate similarities to Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek. Most of the streams are calcium bicarbonate/calcium bicarbonate-sulfate type water with the exception of 

two streams that are calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate 

type water. Trace element concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in the bed sediments of 9 streams 

exceeded the TEC or the probable effect concentration 

(PEC). Seven streams exceeded the threshold value of the 

toxicity quotient. Analysis of trace element concentrations 

in bed sediment and basin characteristics for 16 watersheds 

by cluster and discriminant analysis techniques indicated 

that the watersheds could be separated into two groups 

based on their basin characteristics.

INTRODUCTION

Denali National Park and Preserve (DNPP), approximately 6 million acres in size, is located in central Alaska 

(fig. 1). The Alaska Range, dominated by Mt. McKinley, 

bisects the park. Rivers draining the north side of the 

Alaska Range, flow to the Tanana River or Kuskokwim 

River. The south slopes of the Alaska Range form the headwaters for water bodies that drain into the Susitna River 

(fig. 2), which flows into Cook Inlet.

Mining for gold, lead, zinc, silver, copper, antimony, 

and coal has occurred since 1906 at various locations 

within the current park boundary. Although the principle 

mining district was on the north side of DNPP, commercial 

discoveries of coal were made in the Dunkle Hills (fig. 2) 

on the south side of the park. Exploratory activities in the 

Dunkle Hills also yielded small quantities of gold and silver.
2

Susitna River

Susitna River

Anchorage

Mt. McKinley

EXPLANATION

Roads

COOK INLET

A L A S K A R A N G E

Susitna River Basin

Cook Inlet 

Basin

ALASKA

Glacier

Denali National Park and Preserve

Tanana River Drainage

Kuskokwim

River Drainage

75 100 MILES

100 KILOMETERS

50

75

25

25 50

0

0

Boundary between Kuskokwim and 

 Tanana River drainages

63o

152o

63o

146o

60o

154o

149o

60o

Figure 1. Location of Denali National Park and Preserve and the Cook Inlet Basin.
3

61o30"

61o30"

152o30"

152o30"

63o30"

149o

149o

63o30"

146o

62o30"

146o

62o30"

Denali National Park and Preserve

Dunkle Hills

Sampling sites

EXPLANATION

Boundary of Denail National Park andPreserve within the Susitna River Basin

Highest elevationLowest elevation

0

0

40 MILES 10

60 KILOMETERS 10 20 30 40 50

20 30

Figure 2. Shaded relief of the Susitna River Basin, south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, and sampling sites.
4

The Dunkle Mine is an abandoned lignite coal mine 

located at an altitude of 2,800 feet in the Camp Creek 

watershed (fig. 3). The mine was active primarily from 

1940 to 1954 (National Park Service, 1983). Today, the 

mine site consists of a shallow excavation into the side of a 

hill. Exposed coal seams are visible, as well as piles of 

unharvested coal and overburden (fig. 4). Water enters the 

excavated area by means of runoff and seepage from the 

tundra upslope, drains into Camp Creek, and then Costello 

Creek (Dale and Stottlemyer, 1985). Costello Creek is fed 

primarily by meltwater from perennial snowfields crowning the south side of the Alaska Range above 5,000 feet 

(fig. 3).

No water-quality data had been collected at streams and 

rivers on the south side of DNPP until 1994. Edwards and 

Tranel (1998), conducted a parkwide inventory of waterquality data on 61 streams and rivers from 1994 to 1996. 

Several water-quality samples were collected from Costello 

Creek and Camp Creek and at 23 other sites located in the 

south side of DNPP (fig. 5). In 1998, as part of the U.S. 

Geological Survey’s Cook Inlet Basin National WaterQuality Assessment (NAWQA) program, bed sediment and 

tissue (BST) survey, Costello Creek and Colorado Creek 

were studied (Frenzel and Dorava, 1999, Frenzel, 2000). A 

variety of water-quality and biological data were collected 

and analyzed from these two sites.

Purpose and Scope

This report summarizes the results of a cooperative 

study by the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS) to study the water quality of 

streams on the south side of DNPP. The purpose of this 

study was to: (1) determine if the Dunkle Mine has affected 

the water quality of Camp Creek and Costello Creek; (2) 

compare the water-quality data from Camp Creek and Costello Creek with other streams on the south side of DNPP, 

and (3) add to the existing water-quality data base of DNPP.

Acknowledgements

The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of 

Ken Karle and Pam Sousanes of Denali National Park and 

Preserve in field work and for providing data from other 

sites in the study area. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey Volunteer for Science program, Cecile Kouzarides created the Geographical Information Systems data sets and 

computed basin characteristics for each watershed. Dan 

Hawkins, Professor Emeritus, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, assisted in the statistical analysis. Resources were 

also provided to the study from the U.S. Geological Survey 

National Water-Quality Assessment program, Cook Inlet 

Basin study unit.

63o

18"

149o

24"

63o

18"

149o

45"

63o

22"

149o

45"

63o

22"

149o

36"

Site and number

Drainage basin

EXPLANATION

Glacier

95

0

0 1

1

2

2

3 KILOMETERS

3 MILES

Dunkle Mine

Costello Creek

Camp Creek

119 95

58 96

Highest elevation

Lowest elevation

Figure 3. Camp Creek and Costello Creek watersheds.
5

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA

The south side of DNPP lies in the Susitna River drainage on the southeastern flank of the central Alaska Range 

(fig. 2). Rounded aligned hills and U-shaped valleys that 

range from 2,000 to 3,000 feet in elevation are the result of 

extreme glacial scour during Late Wisconsin time 10,000 

years ago. Approximately 33 percent of the south side of 

DNPP is covered by glaciers (fig. 6).

The geology of the study area (fig. 6) consists primarily 

of Quaternary Rocks (21 percent), Tertiary Rocks (12 percent), Cretaceous and/or Jurassic Sedimentary Rocks (23 

percent), and Permian to Devonian Rocks (8 percent). Quaternary rocks are surficial deposits consisting of unconsolidated silt, sand, and gravel of fluvial, glacial, colluvial, and 

other origins. Tertiary rocks are of early Oligocene or late 

Ecoene age that consist of grandiorite and granitic rocks. 

Cretaceous and Jurassic rocks are dark-gray to black argillite, fine- to coarse-grained, generally dark-gray 

graywacke, dark-gray polymictic pebble conglomerate, a 

few layers of dark-gray to black radiolarian chert and thin, 

dark-gray impure limestone interbeds. Permian and Devonian rocks consist of sandstone, conglomerate, siltstone, 

and argillite, and letter chert and limestone (Wilson and 

others, 1998). Near the abandoned Dunkle mine, coal 

deposits of Tertiary age overlie the layered rocks. These 

rocks include serpentine, gabbro, diorite, quartz diorite, and 

granite.

The soil characteristics in the Dunkle Mine area are 

only generally known. Based on work by the National 

Resource Conservation Service in 1979, the primary soil in 

the area is classified as pergelic cryorthods, a very gravelly, 

hilly to steep rough mountainous soil association. Typically, the soils have been formed in very gravelly and stony 

colluvium and glacial drift under a cover of alpine tundra 

vegetation. Some discontinuous permafrost is present. Vegetation consists of willow-alder shrub communities to bottomland white spruce. Moist tundra covers relatively gentle 

or level ground above the streams, and dry alpine tundra 

grows on the steep ground throughout this area. 

Climate of the study area is transitional between maritime and continental with the Alaska Range acting as a barrier. The mountains hinder the northward movement of 

storms from the Gulf of Alaska up the Susitna River Basin. 

As the air is driven upward over the Alaska Range, the 

southern flank receives a greater amount of precipitation. 

The average annual temperature for the area is about -4oC, 

Figure 4. Dunkle mine looking southwest towards confluence of Camp Creek and

Costello Creek (Photo taken in 1975 by Andrew Kirsch, provided by Chuck Hawley).
6

Denail National Park and Preserve within the Susitna River Basin

107-108 106

105

103-104 102 101

125-129

99-100

97-98

124

57-58, 95-96, 119-121

122

123

Susitna River

Susitna River Chulitna R

Talkeetna R

Costello Creek

Drainage Basin

Camp Creek 

Drainage Basin

61o30"

61o30"

152o30"

152o30"

63o30"

149o

149o

63o30"

146o

62o30"

146o

62o30"

0

0

40 MILES 10

60 KILOMETERS 10 20 30 40 50

20 30

57Site and number (see table 1)

Susitna River BasinDrainage basinGlacier

EXPLANATION

Yellow = Camp Cr and Costello CrBlue = Colorado CrGreen = National Parks ServiceBlack = National Parks Service/USGS

Figure 5. Locations and drainage basins of sampling sites in south side of Denali National Park and Preserve.
7

20 MILES

20 KILOMETERS

0

0

5

5

10

10 15

15

Glaciers (33 percent)Quaternary Rocks (21 percent)Tertiary Rocks (Tpgr - 10 percent)Tertiary Rocks (Toem - 2 percent)Cretaceous and/or Jurassic Rocks (Kjf - 23 percent)Mesozoic and Paleozoic Rocks (PDsch - 2 percent)Mesozoic and Paleozoic Rocks ( JCmd - 6 percent)Other Units (3 percent)

EXPLANATION

Denail National Park and Preserve 

within the Susitna River Basin

62o30"

150o15"

63o22"

149o15"

62o30"

152o30"

63o22"

150o15"

Figure 6. Geology of the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve (from Wilson and others, 1998).
8

with annual precipitation ranging from 60 to 80 inches, and 

snowfall averaging 119 inches.

Camp Creek and Costello Creek are located in the north 

portion of the Susitna River Basin (fig. 2). Camp Creek 

drains an area of 7.5 mi2

 (fig. 7). No glaciers are present in 

the basin. Quaternary deposits comprise most of the basin 

and vegetation is primarily dwarf brush (heaths and willows), wet sedge tussocks, and mosses. Mean basin elevation of Camp Creek is about 3,100 ft and the basin slope is 

4 percent. The Dunkle Mine is located near the mouth of 

Camp Creek (fig. 3) and produced 64,000 tons of lignitic to 

subbituminous coal from underground-mining operations 

during 1940-54. Costello Creek, below Camp Creek, drains 

an area of about 31 mi2 (fig. 8). Glaciers are present in the 

headwaters of the basin. Quaternary, Cretaceous, and Jurassic deposits are all present in the basin. Vegetation is similar to Camp Creek. Mean basin elevation is about 4,300 ft 

and the basin slope is about 7 percent.

The remaining water-quality sites are distributed 

throughout the south side of DNPP (fig. 5, table 1). One 

site (101, Long Creek near Takeetna) is located outside the 

park boundary. Drainage areas of these sites range from 2.6 

to 83.4 mi2

. Most of the sites are located in the foothills of 

the Alaska Range. Greater than one-half the sites have 

some glaciers present in their basin (fig. 5).

Mining did occur in the Bear Creek Basin, though just a 

few acres in a side drainage were disturbed. Long Creek 

also had limited mining in the upper reaches, on the order 

of a few acres. There were numerous claims in the Colorado Creek Basin. These claims were located in a 2-mile 

stretch from the mouth of the creek upstream. The Silver 

King Mine was located in this area.

Methods of Data Collection And Analysis

Water-quality samples were collected on a monthly 

basis during June through September in 1999 and 2000, 

when most runoff occurs in the study area. Streambed samples, biological samples, physical habitat surveys, and fish 

tissue samples were collected at various times during 1999 

and 2000.

Water samples collected from Camp Creek and Costello 

Creak were analyzed for suspended sediment, field paramFigure 7. Camp Creek (photograph by Tim Brabets, U.S. Geological Survey).
9

eters, major ions and dissolved solids, nutrients, organic 

carbon, and trace elements. The field-collection and processing equipment used was made from Teflon, glass, or 

stainless steel to prevent sample contamination and to minimize analyte losses through adsorption. All sampling 

equipment was cleaned prior to use with a nonphosphate 

laboratory detergent and then rinsed with distilled water 

and finally by stream water just prior to sample collection. 

Depth integrated water samples were collected across the 

stream by using the equal-width-increment method 

(Edwards and Glysson, 1988) and processed in the field 

using methods and equipment described by Shelton (1994). 

Samples for organic-carbon analysis were collected separately by dipping a baked glass bottle in the centroid of 

flow. Samples to be analyzed for dissolved constituents 

were filtered through 0.45-um capsule filters. Water samples were sent to the USGS National Water-Quality Laboratory in Lakewood, Colorado, for analysis using standard 

USGS analytical methods (Fishman and Friedman, 1989; 

Patton and Truitt, 1992; Fishman, 1993). Suspended-sediment samples were sent to the USGS Sediment Analysis 

Laboratory in Vancouver, Washington, for concentration 

and particle size analysis.

A Hydrolab or Yellow Springs Instrument (YSI) meter 

was used to measure water temperature, dissolved-oxygen 

concentration, specific conductance, and pH at the time of 

sampling. Discharge measurements were made at the time 

of sampling using methods outline by Rantz and others 

(1982).

Edwards and Tranel (1998) outlined data collection and 

laboratory methods for the NPS study. Collection and analysis of suspended-sediment samples and field parameters 

by NPS personnel followed USGS methods. Collection of 

organic carbon and major ion samples were somewhat different, but the preservative and laboratory analytical techniques followed USGS procedures. Thus it was felt the 

NPS data were comparable to the USGS data.

Streambed sediments were sampled from several depositional areas at each site. Sediments were collected from 

the surface of the streambed using Teflon tubes or Teflon 

coated spoons and composited in glass bowls (Shelton and 

Capel, 1994). Two types of sample were obtained from this

Figure 8. Costello Creek (photograph by Tim Brabets, U.S. Geological Survey).
10

Table 1. Water-quality sites, south side Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska 

 [All values in square miles; Tpgr, Tertiary Paleocene rocks consisting of granite; Kjf, Cretaceous and/or Jurassic sedimentary rocks belonging to the Kahiltna Flysch sequence]

Map number1

(figure 5)

1The Cook Inlet Basin NAWQA study unit established a uniform numbering system for all surface water sites located in the study basin. For a complete list of stations and numbers see 

http://alaska.usgs.gov/projects/Nawqa/water.sites.htm

Latitude/longitude or USGS 

station number Station name Area Glaciers Quaternary Tpgr Kjf

57 63o16'29"149o35'20" Colorado Creek near Colorado 10.5 0 0.1 0 8.558 63o16'18" 149o32'37" Costello Creek near Colorado 22.7 0.7 4.0 0 15.995 15292302 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 7.5 0 5.4 0 1.096 15292304 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 30.8 0.7 10.0 0 16.9

119 63o16'13" 149o31'42" Costello Creek above Camp Creek near Colorado 23.3 0.7 4.6 0 15.9120 63o16'26" 149o37'35" East Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 3.3 0 0 0 2.7121 63o16'20" 149o37'51" West Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 6.2 0 0 0 4.9122 63o14'14" 149o33'15" Colorado Creek near mouth near Colorado 12.0 0 1.3 0 8.5123 63o09'42" 149o53'41" Ohio Creek near Colorado 39.3 14.3 0.6 0 24.2124 62o51'12" 150o15'48" Cloud Creek near Talkeetna 2.6 0 0.9 0.8 0

97 62o50'12" 150o18'27" Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 7.2 0 1.7 3.7 1.898 62o50'14" 150o18'32" Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 59.2 15.6 4.7 37.1 1.8

125 62o47'43" 150o30'31" Alder Creek above Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 5.4 0.1 0.1 1.2 4.0126 62o47'48" 150o30'10" Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 5.2 1.0 0.1 2.4 1.7127 62o47'00" 150o26'03" Alder Creek above Slide Creek near Talkeetna 16.5 1.1 1.2 7.3 6.9128 62o47'00" 150o25'41" Slide Creek near Talkeetna 9.3 1.1 0 5.9 2.3129 62o40'31" 150o20'05" Alder Creek near mouth near Talkeetna 35.8 2.2 5.3 19.6 8.7

99 62o38'34" 150o54'33" Bear Creek near Talkeetna 9.7 0 3.2 0 6.4

100 62o39'20" 150o54'03" Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 7.3 0 2.6 0 4.7101 62o35'10" 150o45'04" Long Creek near Talkeetna 3.8 0 1.7 0 1.2102 62o35'01" 151o11'29" Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 12.8 2.6 2.1 4.3 3.8103 62o33'24" 151o32'16" Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 14.2 4.7 0.1 8.7 0.7104 62o33'25" 151o32'18" Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 12.9 1.2 0.1 8.2 3.4105 62o25'22" 151o59'22" Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 23.7 5.0 5.9 1.2 11.6106 62o19'36" 151o58'27" Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 83.4 2.7 34.6 0.8 44.3107 62o17'59" 152o41'05" Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 16.6 0.5 6.9 0.2 9.0108 62o18'00" 152o41'06" Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 35.2 7.5 4.8 8.4 14.5
11

composite: samples for semi-volatile organic compounds 

(SVOCs) and particle size analysis were passed through a 

2-mm stainless-steel sieve; and a sample for trace elements 

was passed through a 0.063-mm Nylon sieve. Up to 

250 mL of stream water was used for sieving the trace-element sample. Samples for SVOCs and trace elements were 

chilled after sieving. Water included in the trace-elements 

was decanted after very fine-grained sediments had settled.

Details of laboratory methods related to the analysis of 

SVOCs in streambed sediments are described by Furlong 

and others (1996). The analytical results for constituents 

are expressed as concentrations when they exceed a minimum reporting limit (MRL), or estimated (E) when they 

are detected, but they are less than the MRL. Arbogast 

(1990) describes laboratory procedures followed for processing streambed samples for trace element analysis. 

Trace elements in streambed sediments were analyzed following a total digestion procedure. As such, these data may 

be more useful for differentiating source areas of sediments 

than for detecting anthropogenic effects, or for determining 

bioaccumulation in fish.

Slimy sculpin, Cottus cognatus, was chosen as the most 

appropriate species for tissue analysis. This species is nonmigratory and a bottom-feeding omnivore, which are characteristics necessary for interpretation of results (Crawford 

and Luoma, 1993). Crawford and Luoma (1993) recommend analysis of whole fish livers for trace-elements. 

Because adult slimy sculpin are small, whole fish were 

used for analysis of trace elements.

Fish were collected using a backpack electrofishing unit 

and a seine. The seine would be set across a riffle and the 

electrofishing would begin about 20 ft upstream and work 

down toward the seine. Slimy sculpin captured on the seine 

were placed in a bucket of stream water until sufficient 

numbers had been collected to constitute a sample (30 

grams). Each fish in the composite sample was weighed 

and measured. Fish used for trace element samples were 

double bagged in plastic. Composited samples were immediately placed on wet ice and then to a portable freezer. 

Whole sculpin were analyzed for trace elements at the 

NWQL using methods described by Hoffman (1996).

Collection of stream characteristics was completed at 11 

equally spaced transects along an established reach. The 

data on physical characteristics of each stream reach were 

collected according to protocols described by Fitzpatrick 

and others (1998). Physical characterization of each stream 

reach included measurements of riparian and instream 

aquatic-habitat features. Habitat features measured 

included flow, aspect, open-canopy angles, and canopy closure, as well as the presence of any submerged habitat features such a boulders or woody debris. Physical 

characteristics of each stream reach were documented with 

a set of notes and photographs taken during site visits. 

These observations included a detailed hand sketch of each 

study reach depicting major geomorphic features such as 

sloughs, riffles, and rapids within the identified study 

reach.

Biological samples were collected according to protocols outlined by Cuffney and others (1993), Meador and 

others (1993), and Porter and others (1993). An assessment 

of the algal community was done to identify algal density, 

as well as the species of algae present at stream reaches. 

Two types of samples were collected: (1) a quantitative 

sample was collected from known surface areas and composited to determine density and species composition, and 

(2) the variety of algal habitats within a reach were qualitatively sampled for a more complete assessment of the species composition for the stream reach.

Benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled using two 

methods that correspond to those used for algae samples 

(Cuffney and others, 1993). One sample, collected from the 

Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH), was used to quantify the 

relative density of macroinvertebrates. A second sample, 

the Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH), was used to determine macroinvertebrate taxa present at the sites by sampling all the available habitats. An RTH sample is the 

composite of five 0.25 m2

 areas in which the streambed is 

disturbed to wash macroinvertebrates into a collection net. 

At all sites, riffles were sampled as the richest habitat. The 

QMH sample is collected from the variety of habitats 

present in the stream reach and uses a dip net and hand 

picking of macroinvertebrates from woody debris. The two 

sample methods differ in the mesh size of the collection 

nets: RTH samples are collected with a 425-um mesh, and 

QMH samples are collected with a 210-um mesh.

Macroinvertebrates were identified at the USGS 

National Water-Quality Laboratory’s Biological Unit. Subsampling techniques are used in the identification and enumeration of macroinvertebrates at the Biological Unit. RTH 

samples are subsampled with a technique that is based on a 

300-organism subsample. If fewer than 300 organisms are 

present in a sample, subsampling is not necessary. QMH 

samples are subsampled by timed method rather than by 

specific number of organisms. Because the abundance of 

organisms is not determined for QMH samples, the taxonomist need only sort out a few individuals of each taxon for 

identification.

Raw data from benthic macroinvertebrate samples are 

presented in appendix 1. Before analyzing data for the 

number of taxa present and calculating descriptive metrics, 

ambiguities were resolved by distributing the abundances 

of taxonmic ‘parents’ to the respective taxonomic ‘children’ based on the relative abundances of the children. For 

example, the abundance of individuals only identified to 
12

the family level were distributed among the genera identified for that family, if any, and the abundance of individuals 

only identified to genera were distributed among the species identified for that genera, if any. This process provides 

a more accurate estimate of richness while preserving the 

overall sample abundance.

After the data were collected, checked, and compiled, 

data analysis was undertaken. The concentrations of various water-quality constituents from Camp Creek, Costello 

Creek, and the other streams were evaluated in relation to 

established water-quality criteria. For example, trace-element concentrations in streambed sediments were compared with those of previous NAWQA studies and 

guidelines established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. If concentrations of particular 

water-quality constituents did not exceed these criteria it 

was assumed that the Dunkle Mine has not affected the 

water quality of Camp Creek or Costello Creek. Basin 

characteristics of each watershed such as drainage area, 

geology type, or percent glaciers were also used in statistical analysis of the data.

WATER QUALITY OF CAMP CREEK, COSTELLO 

CREEK, AND OTHER SELECTED STREAMS

Water-quality data collected at Camp Creek and Costello Creek included field parameters (streamflow, specific 

conductance, pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen), 

suspended sediment, major inorganic ions, and nutrients. 

More specific data included water samples analyzed for 

dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and trace elements, bed 

sediments analyzed for trace elements and semi-volatile 

organic compounds, and fish tissue analyzed for trace elements. Biological data included samples of invertebrates 

and algae. Site visits were made to Camp Creek and Costello Creek throughout the summer months during June 

through September 1999 and 2000.

The NPS collected water-quality data at a number of 

sites in DNPP from 1994 to 1996 (Edwards and Tranel, 

1998). In addition to Costello Creek and Camp Creek, 27 

other sites located on the south side of DNPP were sampled 

(figs. 2 and 5, table 1). The water-quality data consisted of 

physical properties (streamflow, specific conductance, pH, 

water temperature, and dissolved oxygen), major ions, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and suspended sediment. 

These water-quality data were compared with the waterquality data collected from Camp Creek and Costello Creek 

to determine similarities or differences, and to better understand the water quality of this portion of the Cook Inlet 

Basin. No trace element or semi-volatile organic data were 

collected by the National Park Service.

Physical Properties

Streamflow and Suspended Sediment

Streamflow at Camp Creek and Costello Creek ranged 

from 4.1 to 72 ft3/s and from 45 to 258 ft3/s, respectively 

(tables 2-3). The highest streamflows measured at Camp 

Creek (49 ft3

/s and 72 ft3/s) were during June 1999 and 

2000, at the time of maximum or near maximum snowmelt. 

Relatively high streamflows also occurred at this time at 

Costello Creek, but the highest discharge measured 

occurred in July 2000 (258 ft3

/s). Although only one 

streamflow measurement was made in July, most likely this 

time period represents the time of glacier melt contribution. 

Based on a per unit runoff basis, streamflow from Costello 

Creek is higher than Camp Creek except for the June 

period. Concentrations of suspended sediment were usually 

higher at Costello Creek, the glacial basin, than at Camp 

Creek. Concentrations varied with streamflow.

Similar to Camp Creek and Costello Creek, streamflow 

at the other selected sites in the south side of DNPP from 

previous studies was dependent on time of year, drainage 

area, and basin characteristics (table 4). The largest 

streams, the Kichatna River and Fourth of July Creek, were 

often unwadable and no discharge measurements were 

made at these sites. Comparing the discharges on a per unit 

basis indicates the wide variation in streamflow at many of 

the sites, reflecting the time of year or hydrologic condition. For example, the lowest unit discharge was 

0.5 ft3

/s/mi2 measured at Camp Creek and the highest unit 

discharge was 25 ft3

/s/mi2 measured at Cripple Creek 

(table 4). There was also a wide variation in suspended sediment concentrations at these sites. Most of the variation is 

due to the amount of flow and whether or not glaciers are 

present in the basin. For example, the highest measured 

suspended sediment concentrations, 5,230 mg/L and 4,900 

mg/L, were measured at two glacial basins, Ohio Creek and 

Whistler Creek. Concentrations of suspended sediment 

from streams without glaciers present in their watersheds 

usually were less than 100 mg/L.

Specific Conductance

Specific conductance is determined by the type and concentration of ions in solution. It is a readily measured property that can be used to indicate the dissolved-solids or ion 

content in water. Values of specific conductance ranged 

from 12 to 67 us/cm at Camp Creek and from 74 to 224 

us/cm at Costello Creek (tables 2 and 3). Specific conductance was consistently higher at Costello Creek, reflecting 

greater dissolved mineral content. At both sites, greater values of specific conductance were measured at the lowest 

streamflow, reflecting more contribution from ground 

water. At the other sites sampled by the NPS, specific con-
13

 Table 2. Discharge, physical properties, and suspended sediment measured at Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292302) 

 [ft3/s. cubic feet per second; ft3/s/mi2, cubic feet per second per square mile; μs, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; oC, degrees Celsius; -- not sampled; <, less than]

Date

(mm/dd/yy)

Discharge 

(ft3/s)

Unit discharge 

(ft3/s/mi2)

Specific conductance 

(μs/cm)

pH 

(standard units)

Water temperature 

(oC)

Dissolved oxygen 

(mg/L)

Alkalinity 

(mg/L as CaCO3)

Suspended sediment 

(mg/L)

07/14/95 17.4 2.3 67 7.1 10 11.3 28 <109/11/95 22.3 3.0 42 6.8 7.4 11.8 19 1006/02/96 21.6 2.9 34 7.5 9.3 11.5 14 14309/06/96 4.1 0.5 61 7.5 4.5 12.7 24 2206/04/99 72 9.6 12 7.3 2.5 12 10 5808/03/99 8.0 1.1 51 7.4 10 9.8 22 209/20/99 5.1 0.7 60 7.4 4.5 12 31 206/01/00 49 6.5 37 7.0 0.1 14 15 3907/11/00 19 2.5 53 7.4 -- -- 16 2308/08/00 9.3 1.2 58 7.3 14 10 24 509/07/00 5.2 0.7 59 7.5 5.3 13 25 <1

Table 3. Discharge, physical properties, and suspended sediment measured at Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304) 

 [ft3/s. cubic feet per second; ft3/s/mi2, cubic feet per second per square mile; μs, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; oC, degrees Celsius; -- not sampled]

Date

(mm/dd/yy)

Discharge 

(ft3/s)

Unit discharge 

(ft3/s/mi2)

 Specific conductance 

(μs/cm)

pH (standard 

units)

Water temperature 

(oC)

Dissolved oxygen 

(mg/L)

Alkalinity 

(mg/L as CaCO3)

Suspended sediment 

(mg/L)

07/14/95 144 4.7 171 7.5 6.6 11.4 49 4309/11/95 105 3.4 224 7.8 5.9 12.3 62 6706/02/96 112 3.6 152 7.8 8.4 12.0 43 10909/06/96 45 1.5 260 8.1 3.7 13.5 69 906/04/99 179 5.8 74 7.8 4.0 12.1 42 4808/03/99 104 3.4 173 8.1 10 10.2 53 17809/20/99 51 1.6 224 8.1 5.4 11.7 63 706/01/00 134 4.4 89 7.3 1.3 14.4 31 6307/11/00 258 8.4 133 7.9 -- -- 44 22008/08/00 103 3.3 178 8.1 11 10.3 57 2009/07/00 45 1.5 218 8.0 6.1 12.3 64 1
14

 Table 4. Ranges in streamflow and physical properties for water-quality sites on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska (from Edwards and Tranel, 1998) 

 [ft3/s. cubic feet per second; ft3/s/mi2, cubic feet per second per square mile; μs, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; mg/L, milligrams per liter; oC, degrees Celsius; -- not sampled]

Site number 

(figure 5) Station Name Discharge (ft3/s) Unit discharge (ft3/s/mi2) Specific conductance (μs/cm) pH (standard units) Water temperature (oC) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L) Alkalinity (mg/L as CaCO3) Suspended sediment (mg/L)

95 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 4.1-22.3 0.5-3.0 33-71 6.7-7.5 4.5-10.4 11.3-12.7 14-28 0-143

119 Costello Creek above Camp Creek near Colorado 45-144 2.0-6.3 144-241 7.5-8.1 5.9-8.4 11.4-13.5 43-62 9-109120 East Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 4.8-23.5 1.4-7.1 178-551 7.8-8.1 4.6-7.2 11.9-13.2 36-114 8-165121 West Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 7.7-59.0 1.2-9.5 565-580 7.7-8.0 4.1-6.3 11.5-13.3 25-85 3-67122 Colorado Creek near mouth near Colorado 19.3-54.6 1.6-4.6 170-443 7.7-8.1 4.1-8.4 11.4-13.2 32-95 6-100123 Ohio Creek near Colorado -- -- 86-147 7.3-7.8 1.3-1.9 13.5-15.3 36-39 389-5,230124 Cloud Creek near Talkeetna 9.2-41.5 3.5-16.0 37-51 7.2-7.6 4.0-10.3 10.6-13.1 10-17 0-2

97 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 27.6-112 3.8-15.6 23-30 6.5-7.1 5.4-9.5 10.8-13 6-9 0-7

125 Alder Creek above Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 21.2-39.8 3.9-7.4 81-112 7.1-7.6 3.6-8.4 11.6-13.1 10-18 0-4.4126 Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 26.2-51.9 5.0-10.0 19-77 7.0-7.8 3.3-8.7 11.5-13.1 20-22 2.0-4,900127 Alder Creek above Slide Creek near Talkeetna 71.8-78.7 4.3-4.8 66-77 7.3-7.7 5.0-6.9 12.1-13.6 19-20 1-147128 Slide Creek near Talkeetna 36.6-61.9 3.9-6.6 34-38 7.1-7.5 5.8-8.6 12.2-12.6 9-10 6.5-8.8129 Alder Creek near mouth near Talkeetna 170-470 4.7-13.1 37-58 6.3-7.5 6.1-11.1 11.4-12.2 10-18 0-447

99 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 13.4-107 1.4-11.0 32-66 6.6-7.6 4.2-8.4 10.8-12.6 16-30 0-15

100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 13.6-84.9 1.9-11.6 36-87 7.2-7.8 4.7-9.3 11.0-12.4 14-34 0-2101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 4.0-14.5 1.0-3.8 32-56 6.8-7.4 8.0-11.9 11.4-11.8 12-20 0-1102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 50-184 3.9-14.3 20-40 6.7-7.4 6.1-9.2 11.5-12.9 8-15 4-108103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 120-300 8.4-21.1 8-11 6.3-7.8 3.4-7.5 12.1-13.3 2-25 60-137104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 51-323 4.0-25.0 10-20 6.5-7.4 3.2-10.0 10.9-13.2 3-7 4-88105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 209-330 8.8-13.9 27-43 7.0-8.5 4.7-9.6 11.7-12.4 10-16 7-92106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 414 5.0 72-121 7.3-7.6 6.7-11.4 11.5-11.7 19-23 10-291107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 63.3-180 3.8-10.8 172-297 7.5-8.0 3.6-6.3 12.4-13.5 12-20 4-10108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna - -- 51-221 7.3-7.8 2.8-6.2 12.0-13.7 9-30 23-154
15

ductance values were similar to Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek with the exception of sites in the Colorado Creek 

watershed (sites 120-122). Specific conductance values at 

these sites ranged between 170 and 580 us/cm, indicating a 

greater dissolved mineral content in this stream.

pH

The pH of water is a measure of its hydrogen-ion activity and can range from 0 (very acidic) to 14 (very alkaline) 

standard units. The pH of river water not affected by contamination is typically between 6.5 and 8.0 standard units 

(Hem, 1985). For fish growth and survival, the pH should 

remain between 6.5–9.0 standard units. Values of pH for 

both Camp Creek and Costello Creek were within this 

range. Most samples from the other streams on the south 

side of DNPP had pH values within this range although 

some samples from Alder Creek (site 129) and Snowslide 

Creek (site 103) did have pH values of 6.3.

Water Temperature

Water temperature is important in both physiochemical 

and biological processes such as oxygen solubility and fish 

metabolism and growth rates. Ranges in water temperature 

at Camp Creek and Costello Creek were highly seasonal. 

At Camp Creek, water temperatures were the coldest in 

June (2.5 o

C and 0.1 oC), reflecting the snowmelt runoff, 

and highest during August (10 oC and 14 oC) (table 2). 

Temperatures cooled during the fall season. This pattern 

was essentially the same at Costello Creek (table 3), though 

temperatures in August were lower than Camp Creek (10.0 o

C and 10.9 oC), reflecting the cooling effect from glacier 

and snow melt. Similarly, at the NPS sites, water temperatures varied with season. Lowest water temperatures 

occurred in the spring or early summer period at the time of 

snowmelt and highest water temperatures occur mid to late 

summer. The lowest water temperature measured at these 

sites was 1.3 oC at Ohio Creek and the highest water temperature measured was 11.4 o

C measured at Fourth of July 

Creek (table 4).

Dissolved Oxygen

The dissolved-oxygen concentration in a stream is controlled by several factors, including water temperature, air 

temperature and pressure, hydraulic characteristics of the 

stream, photosynthetic or respiratory activity of stream 

biota, and the quantity of organic matter present. Salmon 

and other fish require well-oxygenated water at every stage 

in their life and young fish are more susceptible to oxygen 

deficiencies than adult fish. Dissolved oxygen concentrations at Camp Creek and Costello Creek ranged from 9.8 to 

14.2 mg/L and from 10.2 to 14.4 mg/L respectively. All 

concentrations were sufficient to support fish. At the other 

sites, measured dissolved oxygen concentrations ranged 

from 10.6 mg/L to 15.3 mg/L indicating that during the 

summer period these streams are well oxygenated.

Alkalinity

Alkalinity is a measure of the capacity of the substances 

dissolved in water to neutralize acid. In most natural 

waters, alkalinity is produced mainly by bicarbonate and 

carbonate (Hem, 1985), which are ions formed when carbon dioxide or carbonate rocks dissolve in water. Alkalinity 

concentrations (reported as equivalent concentrations of 

calcium carbonate (CaCO3)) for Camp Creek ranged from 

10 to 31 mg/L (table 2) and for Costello Creek ranged from 

31 to 64 mg/L as CaCo3 (table 3). These alkalinity concentrations indicate that water in Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek has a low buffering capacity and limited availability 

of inorganic carbon (Hem, 1985). Also, given the range of 

pH values of Camp Creek and Costello Creek, all of the 

alkalinity can be assigned to dissolved bicarbonate (Hem, 

1985). Most alkalinity concentrations measured at the other 

sites on the south side of DNPP indicated a lower buffer 

capacity than Costello and Camp Creeks (table 4). For 

example, at Crystal Creek and Cripple Creek, alkalinity 

concentrations were less than 10 mg/L (as CaCO3) for all 

samples. However, at sites located in the Colorado Creek 

Basin, measured alkalinity concentrations were the highest 

of all sites in the south side of DNPP. Concentrations at 

these sites ranged from 25 mg/L to 114 mg/L as CaCO3. 

Similar to Camp and Costello Creeks, all the alkalinity 

measured at these sites can be assigned to dissolved bicarbonate.

Major Ions and Dissolved Solids

Water samples collected from Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek for this study were analyzed for major ions and dissolved solids (tables 5-6). Major ions and dissolved solids 

in rivers consist of inorganic minerals and are derived primarily from soil and rock weathering. Concentrations generally are greatest in streams draining basins with rocks and 

soils that contain easily dissolved minerals. The dissolved 

solids concentrations, 16 to 46 mg/L at Camp Creek (table 

5) and 62 to 134 mg/L at Costello Creek (table 6), reflect 

the fact that these types of rocks and soil are not present in 

the Camp Creek and Costello Creek watersheds. At the 

other sites sampled in the south side of DNPP, similar concentrations of dissolved solids were measured with the 

exception of the sites in the Colorado Creek watershed 

(sites 120-122) (table 7). At these sites, dissolved solids 

concentrations ranged from 75 to 289 mg/L, which may 

indicate differences in rocks and soils.

Calcium is usually the dominant positively charged ion 

in most natural waters, followed by magnesium (Hem, 

1985). Concentrations of calcium and magnesium at Camp
16

 Table 5. Major dissolved inorganic constituents measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292302) 

 [all values in mg/L; E, estimated; <, less than, * collected by the National Park Service]

Date 

(mm/dd/yy) Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Bicarbonate Sulfate Chloride Silica Dissolved solids

07/14/95* 8.2 2.3 2.2 0.3 36 4.2 0.1 -- 3509/11/95* 4.3 1.7 1.8 0.2 25 2.8 0.4 -- 2306/02/96* 4.1 1.1 1.2 0.3 18 1.6 0.1 -- 1609/06/96* 5.4 2.0 2.2 0.2 31 4.3 0.1 -- 2706/04/99 2.4 0.8 0.6 0.3 12 0.4 0.2 2.5 3708/03/99 6.3 1.8 1.9 0.4 27 2.6 <.1 5.7 4509/20/99 6.6 1.9 2.1 0.2 38 3.0 <0.3 6.0 4206/01/00 4.1 1.3 1.1 0.5 18 0.9 E0.2 4.0 2807/11/00 4.7 1.4 1.3 E0.2 21 2.0 <0.3 4.6 3308/08/00 6.5 1.9 1.8 E0.2 31 2.0 <0.3 4.6 4609/07/00 6.6 1.8 2.0 0.3 32 2.4 E0.2 5.5 45

 Table 6. Major dissolved inorganic constituents measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304) 

 [all values in mg/L; E, estimated, *, collected by National Park Service]

Date 

(mm/dd/yy) Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Bicarbonate Sulfate Chloride Silica Dissolved solids

07/14/95* 19 7.5 2.8 0.5 64 29 0.3 -- 8709/11/95* 16 12 3.6 0.9 81 47 0.4 -- 12006/02/96* 15 7.7 2.9 0.7 56 28 0.4 -- 7109/06/96* 26 12 4.9 0.7 90 58 1.3 -- 9306/04/99 12 6.9 2.6 0.8 51 20 0.8 3.1 9308/03/99 19 7.8 3.6 0.6 65 28 <0.1 3.5 10609/20/99 23 11 4.3 0.6 77 44 0.6 4.3 13406/01/00 10 6.2 2.7 0.8 36 9.9 0.4 4.3 6207/11/00 13 6.1 2.5 0.5 57 22 E0.3 3.2 8208/08/00 19 8.6 3.9 0.6 74 30 0.3 3.6 11109/07/00 21 10 4.1 0.7 83 39 0.6 3.8 128
17

 Table 7. Ranges in concentrations of water-quality samples collected at sites located in the south side Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska 

 [all concentrations in milligrams per liter]

Site number 

(figure 5) Station name Calcium Magnesium Sodium Potassium Sulfate Chloride Dissolved solids Dissolved organic carbon

95 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 4.1-8.2 1.1-2.3 1.2-2.2 0.2-0.3 1.6-4.3 0-0.4 16-35 4.4-5.7

119 Costello Creek above Camp Creek near Colorado 16-26 7.5-12 2.8-4.9 0.5-0.9 28-58 0.3-1.3 71-120 2.8-5.1120 East Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 14-42 12-40 2.6-11 0.6-1.4 48-187 0-0.3 89-275 1.8-6.3121 West Fork Colorado Creek near Colorado 12-45 9.9-41 3.1-13 0.6-1.2 54-221 0-0.2 75-289 1.2-8.0122 Colorado Creek near mouth near Colorado 14-42 10-38 3.0-12 0.6-1.4 51-199 0.2-0.25 86-221 1.8-8.0123 Ohio Creek near Colorado 13-19 4.6-5.5 1.3-1.6 0.3-1.0 23-39 0.0-0.1 42-73 1.6-8.3124 Cloud Creek near Talkeetna 4.4-7.6 0.3-0.5 0.6-1.0 0.3-0.6 3.1-7.1 0-0.2 13-28 1.1-3.9

97 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 1.1-2.4 0.6-2.0 0.5-0.8 0.5-1.0 2.6-3.8 0.0-0.2 11-15 0.8-1.9

125 Alder Creek above Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 4.3-7.6 0.4-0.9 0.6-1.0 0.7-1.0 4.4-16 0-0.2 18-29 0.8-2.5126 Whistler Creek near Talkeetna 9.5-11 0.7-0.8 0.7-0.9 0.8-1.2 9.3-12 0-0.1 9.3-34 1.0-1.9127 Alder Creek above Slide Creek near Talkeetna 9.6-12 0.8-0.9 0.8-1.0 0.7-1.0 12-13 0-0.2 33-38 1.3-5.5128 Slide Creek near Talkeetna 4.0-5.3 0.5-0.7 0.7-0.9 0.6-0.8 4.6-7.4 0-0.2 13-18 0.7-2.7129 Alder Creek near mouth near Talkeetna 4.3-7.6 0.4-0.9 0.6-1.0 0.7-1.0 4.4-16 0-0.2 18-29 0.5-2.0

99 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 4.1-9.3 1.0-2.2 0.7-1.1 0.1-0.3 2.0-4.9 0-0.2 16-33 1.1-5.9

100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 4.3-11 1.0-3.5 0.6-1.2 0.1-0.2 1.8-6.0 0-0.2 18-44 1.0-7.0101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 4.2-4.7 0.6-1.3 1.2-1.9 0.1 2.8-3.9 0.2-0.6 16-28 1.8-2.5102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 1.5-4.7 0.4-0.8 0.6-1.1 0.3-0.5 1.2-2.0 0-0.3 20-40 0.7-1.6103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 0.7-7.8 0.1-1.0 0.3-0.8 0.3-1.7 1.0-8.2 0-0.2 4-5 0.6-0.9104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 1.3-2.4 0.2-0.3 0.4-0.6 0.2-0.3 0.8-4.1 0-0.1 5-10 0.6-1.0105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 2.5-4.9 0.8-1.1 0.5-0.8 0.3-0.5 2.4-3.3 0-0.2 13-19 0.8-1.5106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 9-14 3.1-5.0 0.8-1.0 0.3-0.6 18-35 0.2 36-60 1.0-2.0107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 4.2-4.7 0.6-1.3 1.2-1.9 0.1 2.8-3.9 0.2-0.6 86-148 0.9-3.4108 Kichatna River 6-26 1.7-9.2 0.5-1.3 0.4-0.6 12-47 0-0.2 57-109 0.6-1.5
18

Creek ranged from 2.4 to 8.2 mg/L for calcium and from 

0.8 to 2.3 mg/L for magnesium (table 5). Concentrations of 

calcium and magnesium at Costello Creek ranged from 10 

to 26 mg/L for calcium and from 6.1 to 12 mg/L for magnesium (table 6). Similar ranges in concentrations were found 

at the other sites sampled on the south side with the exception of the Colorado Creek sites and Fourth of July Creek. 

Concentrations of calcium and magnesium ranged as high 

as 45 mg/L and 41 mg/L respectively at West Fork Colorado Creek (table 7).

Sodium is present in all natural waters, but usually in 

low concentrations in rivers. Concentrations of sodium at 

Camp Creek ranged from 0.6 to 2.2 mg/L (table 5) and at 

Costello Creek from 2.5 to 4.9 mg/L (table 6). Potassium 

seldom occurs in high concentrations in natural waters 

(Hem, 1985) and concentrations of this element for both 

Camp Creek and Costello Creek were less than 1.0 mg/L 

(tables 5-6). Similar concentrations of these two elements 

were found at the other sites with the exception of relatively high concentrations of sodium at the Colorado Creek 

sites. Bicarbonate, which originates from dissolution of 

sedimentary rocks, was the dominant anion and ranged 

from 12 to 38 mg/L at Camp Creek (table 5) and from 36 to 

83 mg/L at Costello Creek (table 6).

Sulfate in rivers is mostly from the weathering of sedimentary and igneous rocks and biochemical processes. 

Concentrations of this constituent were noticeably different 

between Camp Creek and Costello Creek. In Camp Creek, 

concentrations of sulfate ranged from 0.4 mg/L to 4.2 mg/L 

(table 5), but at Costello Creek concentrations ranged from 

9.9 to 58 mg/L (table 6). The highest concentrations of this 

element, 221 mg/L, were found from the previous studies at 

the West Fork Colorado Creek. 

Chloride is present in Camp Creek and Costello Creek, 

but only in small amounts. Concentrations at Camp Creek 

were less than or equal to 0.4 mg/L (table 5), and concentrations at Costello Creek were less than or equal to 0.8 

mg/L (table 6). Similar concentrations of chloride were 

found at the other sites. 

Silica is dissolved from rocks and soils, and concentrations most commonly determined in natural water are 

between 1 and 30 mg/L as SiO2 (Hem, 1985). Concentrations of this element ranged from 2.5 mg/L to 6.0 mg/L at 

Camp Creek (table 5) and from 3.1 to 4.3 mg/L at Costello 

Creek (table 6).

Concentrations of the major ions for both Camp Creek 

and Costello Creek were converted to milliequivalents per 

liter (Drever, 1997). The proportions of the major cations 

(calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) were plotted 

on one triangle of the trilinear diagram (fig. 9), the major 

anions (bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate) were plotted on 

another triangle of the diagram, and the information from 

these two triangles was plotted on a third triangle. The trilinear diagram helps display water-chemistry data and 

determine the composition of the water. Based on the samples collected for this study, the water of Camp Creek 

would be classified as calcium magnesium bicarbonate and 

the water of Costello Creek would be classified as calcium 

bicarbonate sulfate.

The concentrations of the other major ions from the 

other sites sampled on the south side of DNPP were also 

converted to milliequivalents per liter and the piper diagram was used to indicate the type of water of each stream 

(fig. 10). Most of the streams located on the south side of 

DNPP would be classified as calcium bicarbonate, with the 

exception of streams in the Colorado Creek Basin (fig. 8), 

which would be classified as magnesium sulfate and Fourth 

of July Creek (fig. 9), which would be classified as calcium 

sulfate.

Most of the major ions measured at Camp Creek, Costello Creek, and in the other streams on the south side of 

DNPP indicated a good statistical relation to specific conductance (table 8). The coefficients of determination (R2

) 

were 0.61 or greater and the regression equations were statistically valid at a significance level of greater than 99 percent. Thus, valid estimates of concentrations of these 

constituents can be calculated from the equations given 

measured values for specific conductance.

Nutrients and Organic Carbon

Nitrogen is an important water-quality constituent, in 

part because it is an important component of the protoplasm of aquatic biota. For this study water samples were 

analyzed for several forms of nitrogen. Nitrate and nitrite 

represent most of the dissolved nitrogen in well-aerated 

streams. Total ammonia plus organic nitrogen most represent the nitrogen compounds in solution and associated 

with colloidal material.

All concentrations of the various nitrogen forms were 

less than 1.0 mg/L (tables 9 and 10). Due to its toxicity to 

freshwater aquatic life, the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1976) 

suggests a limitation of 0.02 mg/L of ammonia (as un-ionized ammonia, NH3) for waters to be suitable for fish propagation. Based on the values of ammonia, pH, and water 

temperature in Camp Creek and Costello Creek (tables 9 

and 10) the un-ionized ammonia, was calculated as 0.59 

percent of dissolved ammonia (interpolated from table 3, 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1976, p. 11). Even 

at the maximum concentration of dissolved ammonia 

(0.014 mg/L for Camp Creek, 0.007 mg/L for Costello 

Creek), the concentration of un-ionized ammonia is well 

below the USEPA recommended criteria for fish propagation.
19

PERCENT

CALCIUM

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MAGNESIUM

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SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

CHLORIDE, FLUORIDE, NITRITE PLUS NITRATE

 0 

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 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE

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SULFATE

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SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE

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CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM

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PERCENT

PERCENT

Camp Creek

PERCENT

CALCIUM

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MAGNESIUM

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SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

CHLORIDE, FLUORIDE, NITRITE PLUS NITRATE

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 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE

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SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE

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CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM

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PERCENT

PERCENT

Costello Creek below Camp Creek

Figure 9. Trilinear diagram of water samples from Camp Creek and Costello Creek.
20

PERCENT

CALCIUM

 100 

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 0 0 

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MAGNESIUM

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SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

CHLORIDE, FLUORIDE, NITRITE PLUS NITRATE

 0 

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 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE 100 80 60 40 20 

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SULFATE

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SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE

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CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM

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PERCENT

PERCENT

All Sites

PERCENT

CALCIUM

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 0 0 

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MAGNESIUM

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SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

CHLORIDE, FLUORIDE, NITRITE PLUS NITRATE

 0 

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 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE 100 80 60 40 20 

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SULFATE

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SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE 0 

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CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM

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PERCENT

PERCENT

Colorado Creek

PERCENT

CALCIUM

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 0 0 

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MAGNESIUM

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SODIUM PLUS POTASSIUM

CHLORIDE, FLUORIDE, NITRITE PLUS NITRATE

 0 

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 CARBONATE PLUS BICARBONATE 100 80 60 40 20 

 0 

SULFATE

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SULFATE PLUS CHLORIDE 0 

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CALCIUM PLUS MAGNESIUM

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PERCENT

PERCENT

Fourth of July Creek

Figure 10. Trilinear diagrams of water samples collected at sites on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve.
21

Phosphorus is an essential element in the growth of 

plants and animals. It occurs as organically bound phosphorus or as phosphate. High concentrations of phosphorus in 

water are not considered to be toxic to human or aquatic 

life. However, its presence can stimulate the growth of 

algae in lakes and streams. It was first noted by Sawyer 

(1947) that nuisance algal conditions could be expected in 

lakes when concentrations of inorganic nitrogen (NH3 + 

NO2 + NO3 as N) as low as 0.3 mg/L are present in conjunction with as little as 0.01 mg/L of phosphorus.

Phosphorus concentrations are reported as total phosphorus and dissolved orthophosphate. The orthophosphate 

ion, PO4, is the most important form of phosphorus 

because it is directly available for metabolic use by aquatic 

plants. Concentrations of total phosphorus and dissolved 

phosphorus were less than 0.01mg/L for all samples collected at Camp Creek (table 9). At Costello Creek (table 

10), concentrations of total phosphorus were greater than 

0.01 mg/L but still less than 1.0 mg/L. 

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is commonly a major 

pool of organic matter in ecosystems. DOC is defined as 

organic carbon in the filtrate (dissolved and colloidal 

phases) that has passed through a 0.45 -um pore-size filter. 

Generally, DOC is in greater abundance than particulate 

organic carbon (POC), accounting for approximately 90 

percent of the total organic carbon of most waters (Aiken 

and Cotsaris, 1995). In the aquatic system, the sources of 

DOC can be categorized as (1) allochthonous—entering the 

system from a terrestrial watershed, and (2) autochthonous 

—being derived from biota (algae, bacteria, macrophytes) 

growing in the water body. Determination of these sources 

of DOC was not done for this study due to the large volume 

of water that is required for analysis.

At Camp Creek, concentrations of DOC ranged from 

2.9 mg/L to 15.0 mg/L. All POC concentrations were less 

than 1.0 mg/L (table 9). The DOC concentrations were 

slightly higher than those for Costello Creek, where concentrations of DOC ranged from 0.62 mg/L to 4.0 mg/L 

and concentrations of POC were all less than 1.0 mg/L 

(table 10). These concentrations probably reflect the fact 

that some of the Camp Creek basin consists of some bogs 

while most of the Costello Creek Basin consists of rough 

mountainous lands with a thin soil cover.

Only DOC data were collected at the NPS sites (table 

7). Concentrations of DOC were similar to DOC concentrations at Camp Creek and Costello Creek. The relatively low 

DOC concentrations indicate the absence of a soil layer on 

the south side of DNPP. The highest values (8.0 mg/L) 

might indicate some better developed soil layers in these 

basins.

Organic Compounds

Streambed sediments at Costello Creek above Camp 

Creek, Camp Creek, and Costello Creek below Camp 

Creek were collected and analyzed for 65 organic compounds (table 11). Most of these compounds were not 

found at all three sites. Compounds were detected but the 

concentrations of most of these compounds were less than 

the Minimum Reporting Level of 50 ug/kg (tables 12-14). 

Concentrations of the detected compounds were also compared with the blank sample analyzed at the NWQL. If concentrations of these compounds were found in the blank 

sample at more than 5 percent of the concentration in the 

environmental sample, it was assumed that the sample was 

contaminated (Ed Furlong, USGS, personal communication, 2002). This comparison indicated that certain samples 

were contaminated with butybenzlphthalate, dibutlyphthalate, phenol, and bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The only 

other site that was sampled for organic compounds was 

Colorado Creek (site number 57, fig. 4). This site was sampled in 1998 and no organic compounds were detected 

(Frenzel, 2000). 

Five organic compounds were detected at Costello 

Creek above Camp Creek (table 12). Dibenzothiophene 

was the only compound measured above the MRL and is 

thought to be naturally present in coal (Merck Index, 1983). 

Other compounds found at this site are also naturally 

present (phenanthrene, 2,6 dimethylnapthalene), or found 

in coal tar, coal tar derivatives, or in polychlorinated biphenols.

Table 8. Results of regression analysis relating concentrations of dissolved solids and major ions to specific conductance in streamflow samples 

collected from streams, south side Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. 

 [SC, specific conductance; all equations significant at the 99 percent level; mg/L, milligrams per liter]

Constituent Regression equation Coefficient of determination (R2) Standard Error (mg/L)

Calcium 0.74 + 0.11 (SC) 0.89 1.77

Magnesium -0.95 + 0.04 (SC) 0.86 0.84

Sodium 0.34 + 0.01 (SC) 0.61 0.41

Bicarbonate 4.0 + 0.23 (SC) 0.82 5.0

Sulfate -4.8 + 0.24 (SC) 0.89 3.9

Dissolved Solids 1.23 + 0.46 (SC) 0.94 5.4
22

Table 9. Nutrient and organic carbon concentrations measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292302) 

 [all values in milligrams per liter; NO2 + NO3, nitrate plus nitrite; E, estimated; <, less than, *, collected by NPS].

Date 

(mm/dd/yy)

Nitrogen 

nitrite, 

dissolved

Nitrogen NO2 + 

NO3 ,

 dissolved

Nitrogen 

ammonia, 

dissolved

Nitrogen 

ammonia + 

organic, total

Nitrogen 

ammonia + 

organic, 

dissolved

Phosphorus, 

total

Phosphorus, 

dissolved

Phosphorus, ortho 

dissolved

Dissolved 

organic carbon

Particulate 

organic carbon

07/14/95* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4.3 --09/11/95* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.7 --06/02/96* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.0 --09/06/96* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.2 --06/04/99 0.001 <0.005 0.003 0.17 0.17 0.044 0.012 <0.001 3.7 0.4008/03/99 0.001 <0.005 0.002 E0.10 E0.10 0.005 0.004 0.001 3.6 --09/20/99 0.001 <0.005 0.007 0.16 0.13 0.004 0.005 <0.001 2.9 <0.206/01/00 0.001 0.008 0.014 0.21 0.13 0.032 0.007 <0.001 6.4 0.507/11/00 0.004 0.015 0.006 0.15 0.12 0.017 E.003 0.002 3.2 0.408/08/00 <0.001 <0.005 0.003 0.12 0.10 E0.004 <0.006 <0.001 15 <0.209/07/00 0.001 <0.005 0.008 0.11 E0.10 E0.005 <0.006 <0.001 2.9 <0.2

 Table 10. Nutrient and organic carbon concentrations measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304) 

 [all values in milligrams per liter; NO2 + NO3, nitrite plus nitrate; E, estimated; <, less than, *, collected by NPS].

Date 

(mm/dd/yy)

Nitrogen 

nitrite, 

dissolved

Nitrogen NO2 + 

NO3 , 

dissolved

Nitrogen 

ammonia, 

dissolved

Nitrogen 

ammonia + 

organic, total

Nitrogen 

ammonia + 

organic, 

dissolved

Phosphorus, 

total

Phosphorus, dissolved Phosphorus, ortho dissolved Dissolved organic carbon Particulate organic carbon

07/14/95* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 2.8 --09/11/95* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 4.5 --06/02/96* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3.2 --09/06/96* -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 5.1 --06/04/99 0.001 0.014 0.003 E0.06 E0.10 0.067 0.007 <0.001 2.1 0.308/03/99 0.001 0.028 <0.002 0.23 <0.10 0.193 <0.004 0.002 1.0 0.5009/20/99 0.001 0.044 0.007 0.13 E0.10 0.012 <0.004 0.001 0.90 --06/01/00 0.002 0.097 0.005 0.16 E0.10 0.039 E0.005 <0.001 4.0 0.3407/11/00 0.001 0.050 0.003 0.21 E0.10 0.271 <0.006 0.003 0.62 0.5808/08/00 <0.001 0.020 0.005 <0.10 <0.10 0.025 <0.006 0.003 0.69 <0.209/07/00 0.001 0.009 0.004 <0.10 <0.10 <0.008 E0.003 0.001 0.71 <0.2
23

Camp Creek, the mined watershed, had seven detections 

of organic compounds (table 13). Phenanthrene, which is 

naturally present in coal (Parker, 1984), was detected at the 

MRL and the remainder of the compounds were detected 

below the MRL. Concentrations of all compounds were 

well below the criteria for aquatic life set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1996). In addition to 

phenanthrene, the compounds 1,6-Dimethylnapthalene, 

2,3,6-Trimethynapthalene, and 1-Methylphenanthrene, are 

probably naturally occurring and not due to mining activities. Two of these compounds were detected at Costello 

Creek above Camp Creek, another indicator that some of 

the organic compounds may be naturally occurring.

The two organic compounds detected at Costello Creek 

below Camp Creek (table 14), phenanthrene and p-Cresol, 

are thought to occur naturally. Thus, it is unlikely, any 

organic compounds are present in Costello Creek due to 

mining activities at the Dunkle Mine.

Trace Elements

Samples of the water column, slimy sculpin, and the 

streambed were collected and analyzed for trace elements 

at Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek. 

Samples of the streambed and slimy sculpin were collected 

for trace elements at Costello Creek above Camp Creek in 

1998. Water-column samples were analyzed for 42 trace 

elements, bed sediments for 39 trace elements, and sculpin 

for 22 trace elements.

For the water-column samples, concentrations of 21 of 

the 42 trace elements were less than or equal to 1.0 ug/L at 

Camp Creek and concentrations of 18 of the 42 trace elements were less than or equal to 1.0 ug/L at Costello Creek 

below Camp Creek (tables 15-16). Two trace elements, 

total aluminum and iron, showed a strong correlation with 

suspended sediment that suggests these two elements are 

adsorbed onto the sediment (table 17). In comparing the

 Table 11. Organic compounds analyzed for detection in bed sediments of Costello Creek above Camp Creek (station 631618149323700), 

Camp Creek (15292302), and Costello Creek below Camp Creek (15292304)

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

1,2-Dichlorobenzene

1,2-Dimethylnaphthalene

1,3-Dichlorobenzene

1,4-Dichlorobenzene

1,6-Dimethylnaphthalene

1-Methyl-9H-fluorene

1-Methylphenanthrene

1-Methylpyrene

2,2-Biquinoline

2,3,6-Trimethylnaphthalene

2,4-Dinitrotoluene

2,6-Dimethylnapthalene

2,6-Dinitrotoluene

2-Chloronaphthalene

2-Chlorophenol

2-Ethylnaphthalene

2-Methylanthracene

3,5-Dimethylphenol

4-Bromophenylphenylether

4-Chloro-3-methylphenol

4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene

Acenaphthene

Acenaphthylene

Acridine

Anthracene

Anthraquinone

Azobenzene

Benz[a]anthracene

Benzo[a]pyrene

Benzo[b]fluoranthene

Benzo[c]cinnoline

Benzo[ghi]perylene

Benzo[k]fluoranthene

Butylbenzyl phthalate

C8-Alkylphenol

Carbazole

Chrysene

Di-n-octyl phthalate

Dibenz[a,h]anthracene

Dibenzothiophene

Dibutylphthalate

Diethyl phthalate

Dimethyl phthalate

Fluorene

Fluoranthene

Hexachlorobenzene

Indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene

Isophorone

Isoquinoline

Naphthalene

N-Nitrosodiphenylamine

N-Nitrosodi-n-propylamine

Nitrobenzene

Pentachloroanisole

Pentachloronitrobenzene

Phenanthrene

Phenanthridine

Phenol

Pyrene

Quinoline

bis(2-Chloroethoxy)methane

bis(2-Chloroethyl)ether

bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

p-Cresol

Table 12. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Costello Creek above Camp Creek at mouth near 

Colorado, Alaska (station 6316181493237) 

 [μg/kg, micrograms per kilogram; E, estimated]

Compound Concentration (μg/kg) Possible Source

Chrysene E20 Coal tar and exhaust from gasoline engines

Dibenzothiophene 80 Natural

Phenanthrene E30 Natural

Pyrene E10 Coal tar

2,6 Dimethylnapthalene E10 Natural
24

concentrations of the dissolved trace elements to published 

or know values of other studies (table 18), concentrations 

of all trace elements were within the normal ranges with the 

exception of iron for Camp Creek and strontium for Costello Creek. Higher values of iron in Camp Creek may be 

due to the presence of a soil layer in its basin and the higher 

values of strontium in Costello Creek may be due to the 

presence of sedimentary rocks in its basin. In comparing 

the trace element concentrations with known water-quality 

standards that have been established for the protection of 

aquatic life (table 19), no concentrations of the trace elements exceeded either acute or chronic concentrations.

With the exception of arsenic, iron and selenium, 

sculpin from both sites on Costello Creek had higher concentrations of trace elements than at Camp Creek (table 

20). Only selenium concentrations in slimy sculpin appear 

to be at levels of potential concern. Typical selenium concentrations in fish at background sites are less than 2 ug/g 

(U.S. Department of the Interior, 1998), whereas selenium 

concentrations at the three sites were equal to or greater 

than 6.7 ug/g. Whole-body selenium concentrations of 4 to 

6 ug/g were estimated as the threshold for reproductive 

impairment in sensitive species such as salmon (U.S. 

Department of the Interior, 1998). However, slimy sculpin 

may bioaccumulate selenium to a greater degree than do 

salmonoids.

Streambed sediments of Camp Creek, Costello Creek 

above Camp Creek, and Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

were collected and analyzed for 39 trace elements in 1998 

and 1999 (table 21). Streambed sediments were also collected at 12 of the NPS sites during September, 2000 and 

analyzed for the same trace elements. These sites were chosen so a good spatial distribution was obtained throughout 

the south side of DNPP.

In reviewing the literature on criteria for bed sediments, 

the focus has been limited to 9 trace elements: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, 

and zinc. Trace-element concentrations in streambed sediments were compared with those of previous studies (table 

22). Gilliom and others (1998) determined national median 

concentrations (in micrograms per gram, dry weight) for 

these elements. As part of the NAWQA program, a 

NAWQA data base has been established where users may 

retrieved water-quality data from other NAWQA study 

units based on criteria such as land use. From this data 

base, trace element data for basins listed as ‘mined’ were 

retrieved and the median concentration values determined. 

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment 

(1999) has established guidelines for some trace elements 

in unsieved streambed sediment. These guidelines use two 

assessment values: a lower value, called the “interim freshwater sediment quality guideline” (ISQG), is the concentration below which adverse effects are expected to occur 

rarely. The upper value, called the “probable effect level” 

(PEL), is the concentration above which adverse effects are 

expected to occur frequently (table 22). Because trace-element samples for the NAWQA program are from sediments 

finer than 0.063 mm where concentrations tend to be greatest, comparisons with the Canadian guidelines may overestimate the effects on aquatic organisms (Deacon and 

Stephens, 1998). However, it was felt that the PEL would 

be useful for comparative purposes when applied to the 

finer than 0.063 mm size fraction sediment samples analyzed for this study.

Table 13. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, 

Alaska (station 15292302)

 [μg/kg, micrograms per kilogram; E, estimated]

Compound Concentration (μg/kg) Possible Sources

1,6-Dimethylnaphthalene E20 Naturally occurring

2,3,6-Trimethylnaphthalene E20 Naturally occurring

1-Methylphenanthrene E10 Naturally occurring

1-Methylpyrene E10 Coal tar derivative

Fluoranthene E20 Coal tar derivative

Phenanthrene 50 Naturally occurring

Pyrene E20 Coal tar derivative

Table 14. Concentrations of organic compounds detected in bed sediments of Costello Creek below Camp Creek near 

Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304)

 [μg/kg, micrograms per kilogram; E, estimated]

Compound Concentration (μg/kg) Possible Sources

Phenanthrene E10 Naturally occurring

p-Cresol E9.2 Coal tar derivative
25

 Table 15. Trace element concentrations measured in water samples collected from Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292302) 

 [all values in micrograms per liter; E, estimated; <, less than; --, no data]

Date (mm/dd/yy) Aluminum, total Aluminum, dissolved Antimony, total Antimony, dissolved Arsenic, total Arsenic, dissolved Barium, total Barium, dissolved Berrylium, total08/03/99 50 <14 <1 <1 2 <1 -- 30 <406/01/00 308 52 <1 <1 E1 E.6 29 24 <507/11/00 339 16 <1 <1 E2 E.8 28 23 <508/08/00 42 18 <1 <1 <3 0.9 28 30 <609/07/00 44 14 <1 <1 <3 E.8 29 30 <5

Date Berrylium, dissolved Boron, dissolved Cadmium, total Cadmium, dissolved Chromium, total Chromium, dissolved Cobalt, total Cobalt, dissolved Copper, total

08/03/99 <1 -- <1 <1 <1 -- <1 <1 <1206/01/00 <1 <12 <1 <1 <1 <0.8 <2 <1 <2007/11/00 <1 <12 <1 <1 <1 <0.8 <2 <1 <2008/08/00 <1 <12 <1 <1 <0.8 <0.8 <2 <1 <2009/07/00 <1 <12 <1 <1 <0.8 <0.8 <2 <1 <20

Date Copper, dissolved Iron, total Iron, dissolved Lead, total Lead, dissolved Lithium, total Lithium, dissolved Manganese, total Manganese, dissolved

08/03/99 <1 180 79 <1 <1 <10 -- 4 2.106/01/00 1 1060 230 <1 <1 <10 M 36 1007/11/00 <1 630 80 <1 <1 M 1 9 2.608/08/00 <1 200 130 <1 <1 <10 1 4 3.609/07/00 <1 180 110 <1 <1 <10 M 4 3.4

Date Mercury, total Molybdenum, total Molybdenum, dissolved Nickel, total Nickel, dissolved Selenium, total Selenium, dissolved Silver, total Silver, dissolved

08/03/99 -- <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <1 <106/01/00 <0.3 <1 <1 E1 1 <3 <0.7 <1 <107/11/00 <0.3 1 <1 E2 <1 <3 <0.7 <1 <108/08/00 <0.3 <1 <1 <2 <1 <3 <0.7 <1 <109/07/00 <0.3 <1 <1 E1 <1 <3 <0.7 <1 <1

Date Strontium, total Strontium, dissolved Thallium, dissolved Vanadium, dissolved Zinc, total Zinc, dissolved

08/03/99 60 -- -- -- <40 <106/01/00 38 40 <0.9 <1 <31 507/11/00 48 47 <0.9 <1 <31 380/08/00 69 69 <0.9 <1 <31 609/07/00 67 67 <0.9 <1 <31 3
26

 Table 16. Trace element concentrations measured in water samples collected from Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304)

 [all values in micrograms per liter; E, estimated; <, less than, --, no data]

Date 

(mm/dd/yy)

Aluminum,

total

Aluminum,

dissolved

Antimony,

total

Antimony,

dissolved

Arsenic,

total

Arsenic,

dissolved

Barium,

total

Barium,

dissolved

Berrylium,

total

08/03/99 5600 13 <1.0 <1.0 5.0 <1.0 100 35 <4.006/01/00 566 29 <1.0 <1.0 <3.0 0.9 38 29 <5.007/11/00 4960 25 <1.0 <1.0 6.0 1.3 93 27 <5.008/08/00 504 7 <1.5 <1.0 E2.0 1.6 41 35 <5.009/07/00 41 4 <1.0 <1.0 E2.0 1.7 42 45 <5.0

Date Berrylium, dissolved Boron, dissolved Cadmium, total Cadmium, dissolved Chromium, total Chromium, dissolved Cobalt, total Cobalt, dissolved Copper, total

08/03/99 <1.0 -- <1.0 <1.0 12 -- 3.0 <1.0 E1106/01/00 <1.0 E9.0 <0.1 <1.0 1.0 <0.8 <2.0 <1.0 <2007/11/00 <1.0 <12 <0.1 <1.0 15 <0.8 4.0 <1.0 E1408/08/00 <1.0 E8.0 <0.1 <1.0 2.0 <0.8 <2.0 <1.0 <2009/07/00 <1.0 12 <0.1 <1.0 <1.0 <0.8 <2.0 <1.0 <20

Date Copper, dissolved Iron, total Iron, dissolved Lead, total Lead, dissolved Lithium, total Lithium, dissolved Manganese, total Manganese, dissolved

08/03/99 <1.0 6800 <10.0 3.0 <1.0 E10 -- 130 306/01/00 <1.0 1360 100 <1.0 <1.0 <7.0 1.8 36 807/11/00 <1.0 8950 <10 4.0 <1.0 10 2.3 167 608/08/00 <1.0 1010 10 <1.0 <1.0 <7.0 3.2 19 209/07/00 <1.0 80 E10 <1.0 <1.0 E3.4 3.5 E2 3

Date Mercury, total Molybdenum, total Molybdenum, dissolved Nickel, total Nickel, dissolved Selenium, total Selenium, dissolved Silver, total Silver, dissolved

08/03/99 -- <1.0 1.1 14 <1.0 2.0 <1 <1.0 <1.006/01/00 <.3 <1.0 <1.0 3.0 1.0 <3.0 E.6 <1.0 <1.007/11/00 <.3 <1.0 <1.0 19 2.0 E2.0 0.9 <1.0 <1.008/08/00 <.3 <1.0 <1.0 E2 <1.0 E2.0 1.2 <1.0 <1.009/07/00 <.3 2.0 1.0 <2.0 <1.0 E3.0 1.6 <1.0 <1.0

Date Strontium, Total Strontium, Dissolved Thallium, Dissolved Vanadium, Dissolved Zinc, Total Zinc, Dissolved

08/03/99 210 -- -- -- E30 <1.006/01/00 112 114 <0.9 <1 <31 4.007/11/00 150 150 <0.9 <1 33 4.008/08/00 194 201 <0.9 <1 <31 <1.009/07/00 228 242 <0.9 <1 <31 2.0
27

MacDonald and others (2000) established sediment 

quality guidelines (SQGs) for 7 trace elements and Van 

Derveer and Canton (1997) established guidelines for selenium. These guidelines use two concentrations for a given 

trace element; the threshold effect concentration (TEC) and 

the probable effect concentration (PEC) (table 22). The 

TEC is the concentration below which sediment-dwelling 

organisms are unlikely to be adversely affected, and the 

PEC is the concentration above which toxicity is likely. In 

addition, MacDonald and others (2000) developed a Mean 

PEC Quotient (table 23) which is the toxicity of the combined trace element concentrations. This value is determined by summing the concentrations of all the trace 

elements analyzed and dividing by the number of elements. 

A quotient value below 0.5 indicates the absence of toxicity 

and a value greater than 0.5 indicates the presence of toxicity. MacDonald and others determined the PEC Quotient 

based on normalized organic carbon values.

 Table 17. Correlation coefficients for aluminum, iron, and suspended sediment in Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

near Colorado, Alaska.

Aluminum Iron Suspended Sediment

Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado

Aluminum 1.00

Iron 0.89 1.00

Suspended Sediment 0.91 0.99 1.00

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado

Aluminum 1.00

Iron 0.96 1.00

Suspended Sediment 0.96 0.99 1.00

Table18. Summary of dissolved trace element concentrations from previous studies compared to ranges of dissolved trace element 

concentrations from Camp Creek and Costello Creek near Colorado, Alaska 

 [all values in μg/l]

Element Martin and Whitfield 

(1983) Meybeck (1988) Hem (1985) Camp Creek Costello Creek

Aluminum 50 40 +- 20 -- <14 - 52 4 - 29

Antimony 1 -- 0.1-1 <1 <1

Arsenic 1.7 1+- 0.5 0.1-1 <1 0.9 - 1.7

Barium 60 -- 10 23 - 30 27 - 45

Beryllium -- -- 0.1 <1 < 1

Boron 18 30 +- 20 -- <12 E8.0 - 12

Cadmium 0.02 -- 0.1-1 <1 < 1.0

Chromium 1 0.8 +- 0.3 0.1-1 <0.8 < 0.8

Cobalt 0.2 0.1+- 0.05 0.1 <1 < 2.0 - 4.0

Copper 1.5 2+-1 1-10 <1 - 1 < 1.0

Iron 40 50+-30 -- 79 - 230 <10 - 100

Lead 0.1 -- .1-1 <1 < 1.0

Lithium 12 -- -- 1 E3.4 - 10

Manganese 8.2 10+-5 -- 2.1 - 10 2 - 8

Mercury -- -- 0.1 -- --

Molybdenum 0.5 0.8+- 0.4 0.1-1 <1 <1 - 1.1

Nickel 0.5 0.4+-0.3 0.1-1 <1 - 1 <1.0 - 2.0

Selenium -- -- 0.1 <1 E2.0 - < 3.0

Silver 0.3 0.4+-0.2 0.1 <1 < 1.0

Strontium 60 -- -- 40 - 69 114 - 242

Vanadium 1 -- 1 <1 <1

Zinc 30 10+-5 1-10 <1 - 6 <1.0 - 4.0
28

Comparison of the concentrations of the bed sediments 

of the 9 trace elements with median values from Gilliom 

and others (1998) and the NAWQA data base 

(http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/data, accessed July 2002) 

indicated that arsenic and nickel concentrations at Camp 

Creek and Costello Creek are higher than the median values found in other NAWQA study units (table 22). Most 

other streams on the south side of DNPP also had higher

Table 19. Dissolved concentrations of selected trace elements that have established water-quality standards for 

protection of aquatic life (Smith and Huyck, 1999) 

 [values in micrograms per liter]

Trace element Acute Chronic

Aluminum 750 87

Antimony 9,000 1,600

Arsenic 360 190

Beryllium 130 5.3

Cadmium 3.9 1.1

Chromium (VI) 16 11

Copper 18 12

Iron 1,000

Lead 82 3.2

Mercury 2.4 0.012

Nickel 1,400 160

Selenium 20 5

Silver 4.1 0.12

Thallium 1,400 40

Zinc 120 110

 Table 20. Trace element concentrations measured in fish tissue samples collected from Costello Creek above Camp Creek (station 

6316131493142), Camp Creek (station 15292302), and Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, Alaska (station 15292304)

 [all values in micrograms per gram dry weight, <, less than]

Trace Element Costello above Camp Creek near 

Colorado

Camp Creek at mouth near 

Colorado

Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

near Colorado

Aluminum 260 70 150

Antimony <0.3 <0.2 <0.2

Arsenic 1.2 1.6 1.1

Barium 19 13 27

Berylium <0.3 <0.2 <0.2

Boron 1.9 0.3 1.0

Cadmium 0.4 0.2 0.4

Chromium 2.8 2.0 3.6

Cobalt 1.2 0.8 1.1

Copper 4.6 3.2 6.1

Iron 450 1,000 330

Lead <0.3 <0.2 0.3

Manganese 27 17 38

Mercury 0.1 M 0.1

Molybdenum <0.3 <0.2 <0.2

Nickel 1.5 1.0 1.6

Selenium 8.5 9.6 6.7

Silver <0.3 <0.2 <0.2

Strontium 110 62 180

Uranium <0.3 <0.1 <0.2

Vanadium 1.4 0.8 1.1

Zinc 120 62 240
29

concentrations of these elements, suggesting these are naturally occurring elements and not related to mining activities. In addition to arsenic and nickel, concentrations of 

copper at Costello Creek above and below Camp Creek, 

exceeded the ISQG limits. Concentrations of copper at six 

other sites on the south side of DNPP also exceeded the 

ISQG limit. Arsenic concentrations exceed the PEL at 

Camp Creek, Costello Creek (above and below Camp 

Creek) and at seven other sites.

Comparison of the concentrations of the trace elements 

at Camp Creek with the TEC, PEC, and mean PEC quotient, indicated that concentrations of arsenic, chromium, 

mercury, and nickel exceeded the TEC and arsenic exceed 

the PEC. However, the mean PEC quotient for Camp Creek 

was only slightly above the threshold of 0.5. Costello Creek 

above Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

both had concentrations of arsenic, chromium, mercury, 

and nickel that exceeded the TEC and concentrations of 

chromium and nickel that exceeded the PEC. The toxicity 

quotients for both sites were greater than one. As MacDonald and others (2000) noted, sites containing relatively 

low concentrations of organic carbon such as Costello 

Creek have higher potential toxicity.

There were many similarities in concentrations of trace 

elements in the 12 streams compared to Costello and Camp 

Creeks. Concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel 

exceeded either the TEC or PEC (table 23). In addition, 

concentrations of lead at four sites exceeded the TEC or 

PEC and concentrations of cadmium exceed the TEC at one 

site. Most mean PEC quotients indicated toxicity and those 

values below or near 0.5 had relatively high percentages of 

organic carbon.

CLUSTER AND MULTIDISCRIMINANT 

ANALYSIS OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN BED 

SEDIMENTS

Cluster analysis was developed as a means of classifying objects into homogeneous groups on the basis of some 

measure or set of measures describing the objects. It is a 

multivariate statistical technique that separates data into 

groups or clusters that are both homogeneous and distinct 

from other groups (Davis, 1986). The type clustering used 

in this study is known as k-means clustering, in which k

points characterized by m variables are designated (either 

by the user or arbitrarily by the program) as initial centroids. The number of observations are calculated, and the 

closest or most similar observations are clustered with the 

nearest centroids. New centroids are then calculated and 

the process iterates exactly like a hierarchical procedure. 

This clustering method divides candidate basins into 

groups by maximizing the between-cluster variation and 

minimizing the within-cluster variation.

Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA) is used as a 

multivariate classification tool to decide in which of several 

groups a response is most likely to belong. MDA determines which variables ‘discriminate’ between two or more 

naturally occurring groups or which variables are the best 

predictors. The MDA analysis used in this study is known 

as forward stepwise analysis. In stepwise discriminant 

analysis, a model of discrimination is built step-by-step. 

Statistical software will review all variables and evaluate 

which one will contribute most to the discrimination 

between groups. That variable will then be included in the 

model and the process is repeated. Probabilities of being in 

each group are computed as a function of one or more continuous variables. The group having the highest probability 

is selected as the group most likely of being in a particular 

region. 

These two statistical techniques were tested with the 

trace element streambed sediment data to determine if there 

are differences or similarities among these watersheds. For 

the cluster analysis, a dendrogram (fig. 11) was constructed 

to determine whether the clusters were good in terms of 

their separability. Dendrograms order the clusters relative 

to each other using the multidimensional distance separating the classes in attribute space. A good cluster should 

have little overlap between the clusters in multivariate 

space. If the dendrogram indicates clusters with identical 

means, the clusters are often combined. The cluster analysis of the trace element data indicated that the watersheds 

could be grouped into two main clusters (fig. 11). The first 

cluster includes 5 sites and the second cluster includes 11 

sites. The first group could be generally characterized as 

having some percentage of their basins consisting of Tertiary rocks, low values of arsenic, chromium, copper, and 

organic carbon while the second cluster consists of those 

basins with a low percentage of tertiary rocks and high values of the trace elements and organic carbon.

To test whether the cluster analysis was valid, the data 

were analyzed using multiple discriminant techniques. The 

results of the first forward stepwise analysis, using the trace 

elements as the variables, indicated that iron and tantalum 

were the most significant variables. Although the classification based on these two variables is good, it is unclear 

what is the basis for the classification. Thus, another forward stepwise analysis was tested using only basin characteristics. The resulting discriminant function showed good 

classification based on the following variables: drainage 

area, glacier area, tertiary deposits, cretaceous deposits, and 

quaternary deposits. Using this discriminant function 

assigned the sites to the same groups as the cluster analysis.
30

Table 21. Trace element concentrations measured in bed sediment samples collected from sites on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska 

 [all values in micrograms per gram, dry weight; <, less than]

Site 

number

(figure 5)

Station Name Aluminum Antimony Arsenic Barium Beryllium Bismuth Cadmium Cerium

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 6.7 4.2 44 970 2.5 <1 0.5 4258 Costello Creek near Colorado 7.4 2.4 23 1200 1.9 <1 0.3 4995 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 6.6 3.1 49 980 1.8 <1 0.5 6496 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 6.3 2.5 25 1400 1.8 <1 0.3 4597 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 7.3 0.1 10 920 2.7 <1 0.2 40098 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 7.3 0.1 9.1 990 3.8 <1 0.2 25099 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 6.7 2.2 42 900 1.4 <1 0.5 66100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 7.0 2.0 56 1000 1.6 <1 1.9 33101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 5.1 1.2 46 690 1.3 <1 0.2 44102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 8.2 <0.1 3.3 550 2.5 <1 <.1 62103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 8.5 0.5 1.7 1200 3.9 <1 0.4 130104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 6.6 0.2 8.7 1000 2.5 <1 0.3 120105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 6.8 1.2 88 1000 1.9 <1 0.2 110106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 5.6 1.3 26 1000 1.7 <1 0.3 64107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 5.1 3.1 30 1000 1.2 <1 0.2 32108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 7.4 0.8 16 480 4.0 1.0 <0.1 140

Chromium Cobalt Copper Europium Gallium Gold Holmium Iron

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 220 23 59 1 14 <1 1 4.258 Costello Creek near Colorado 170 20 64 2 16 <1 1 4.795 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 110 16 35 1 16 <1 <1 3.396 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 140 18 55 1 14 <1 <1 4.297 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 24 3 16 1 22 <1 3 1.798 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 10 2 10 1 21 <1 2 1.199 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 140 26 59 1 17 <1 <1 4.6100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 120 19 48 <1 16 <1 <1 3.6101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 79 10 26 1 13 <1 <1 4.1102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 3.0 <1 3 <1 15 <1 <1 0.40103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 10 2 11 1 19 <1 2 1.1104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 68 8 26 1 16 <1 2 2.2105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 87 14 48 2 16 <1 1 3.4106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 150 18 49 1 14 <1 <1 3.9107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 150 20 47 <1 14 <1 <1 4.2108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 29 4 13 <1 21 <1 1 1.3

Lanthanum Lead Lithium Manganese Mercury Molybdenum Neodymium Nickel

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 21 15 66 770 0.18 1.1 21 13058 Costello Creek near Colorado 26 16 70 710 0.23 1.0 26 9895 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 31 27 40 500 0.24 1.1 29 4296 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 23 18 50 680 0.16 1.2 24 7097 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 190 20 48 530 0.02 1.0 180 1198 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 120 22 46 330 <0.02 0.6 110 699 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 36 17 47 1200 0.03 1.0 31 81100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 18 17 37 1600 0.08 1.6 16 56101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 22 10 38 490 0.04 1.3 21 32
31

Site 

number

(figure 5)

Station Name Lanthanum Lead Lithium Manganese Mercury Molybdenum Neodymium Nickel

102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 31 25 57 240 <0.02 <0.5 27 <2103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 71 76 75 340 <0.02 0.9 68 6104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 62 20 43 530 <0.02 1.1 58 37105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 58 13 37 1100 <0.02 1.2 48 49106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 34 16 51 1600 0.02 1.1 29 80107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 16 14 47 1600 0.07 1.2 15 94108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 76 33 60 400 0.02 0.5 66 17

Niobium Scandium Selenium Silver Strontium Tantalum Thalium Thorium

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 8 15 0.7 0.5 140 1 <1 658 Costello Creek near Colorado 8 17 0.7 0.5 150 1 <1 895 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 14 14 0.5 0.8 120 <1 <1 896 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 9 14 0.7 0.4 130 <1 <1 797 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 22 14 0.6 0.3 140 2 <1 6398 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 23 8 0.1 0.3 130 2 1 4299 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 7 15 0.9 0.1 170 <1 <1 9100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 7 15 5.2 0.2 200 <1 <1 6101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 9 10 1.7 0.1 190 <1 <1 6102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 7 <2 <0.1 <0.1 120 1 1 15103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 12 5 0.1 0.2 260 1 1 24104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 12 8 0.3 0.2 180 1 <1 20105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 11 13 0.6 0.1 340 <1 <1 16106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 12 13 0.8 0.2 160 <1 <1 10107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 11 12 1.2 0.2 110 <1 <1 7108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 16 5 0.2 0.2 69 2 1 37

Tin Titanium Uranium Vanadium Ytterbium Yttrium Zinc

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 2 0.5 3.4 150 2 19 15058 Costello Creek near Colorado 2 0.5 3.1 170 2 18 14095 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 2 0.4 3.4 140 2 19 14096 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 2 0.3 2.4 170 1 15 13097 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 3 0.25 22 31 6 75 6898 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 4 0.14 12 13 5 56 5699 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 2 0.2 3.3 150 2 14 150100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 2 0.2 13 130 1 13 170101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 2 0.2 3.2 96 2 18 80102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 5 0.1 7.8 5 1 15 16103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 5 0.2 18 15 4 51 92104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 3 0.3 9.8 57 3 39 80105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 2 0.3 6.8 100 3 34 95106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 2 0.4 4.3 130 2 16 130107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 2 0.3 2.7 140 2 15 150108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 4 0.1 19 32 3 31 63

Table 21. Trace element concentrations measured in bed sediment samples collected from sites on the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska (Continued)

 [all values in micrograms per gram, dry weight; <, less than]
32

Table 22. Concentrations of selected trace elements in bed materials from various studies 

 [values in micrograms per gram; --, no data]

Trace element Gilliom and others (1998)1

1Median values 

NAWQA 

Warehouse2

2 Median values

Interim Freshwater 

Sediment Quality 

Guideline3(TEL)

3Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (1995) 

Probable Effect Level3 

(PEL)

Threshold Effect 

Concentration (TEC)4

4MacDonald and others (2000)

Probable Effect 

Concentration (PEC)4

Median values for 

study

Arsenic 6.4 13.0 5.9 17.0 9.8 33.0 26Cadmium 0.4 0.9 0.6 3.5 0.99 5.0 0.3Chromium 62 68.5 37.3 90 43.4 111 18Copper 26 36 35.7 197 31.6 149 41Lead 24 41.5 35.0 91.3 35.8 128 18Mercury 0.06 0.08 0.17 0.486 0.18 1.06 0.07Nickel 25 38 -- -- 22.7 48.6 49Selenium 0.7 0.8 -- -- 52.5

5VanDerveer and Canton (1997)

54.0 0.6

Zinc 110 235 123 315 121 459 86

 Table 23. Concentrations trace elements, percent organic carbon, and mean PEC quotient for sites on south side of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska 

 [values in micrograms per gram; bold indicates values exceeds TEC or PEC when normalized for organic carbon content; value exceeds 0.5 for PEC quotient)

Site 

number 

(figure 5)

Station Name Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Copper Lead Mercury Nickel Selenium Zinc

Organic 

Carbon 

(percent)

Mean PEC 

quotient

57 Colorado Creek near Colorado 44 0.5 220 59 15 0.18 130 0.7 150 0.52 1.7158 Costello Creek near Colorado 23 0.3 170 64 16 0.23 98 0.7 140 0.46 1.4695 Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado 49 0.5 110 35 27 0.24 42 0.5 140 1.00 0.5596 Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado 25 0.3 140 55 18 0.16 70 0.6 130 0.47 1.1997 Crystal Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 10 0.2 24 16 20 0.02 11 0.6 68 0.80 0.1998 Coffee River above Crystal Creek near Talkeetna 9.1 0.2 10 10 22 <0.02 6 0.1 56 0.08 1.3999 Bear Creek near Talkeetna 42 0.5 140 59 17 0.03 81 0.9 150 1.2 0.54100 Wildhorse Creek near Talkeetna 56 1.9 120 48 17 0.08 56 5.2 170 6.9 0.09101 Long Creek near Talkeetna 46 0.2 79 26 10 0.04 32 1.7 80 7.1 0.06102 Hidden Creek near Talkeetna 3.3 <0.1 3 3 25 <0.02 <2 <1 16 0.09 0.53103 Snowslide Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 1.7 0.4 10 11 76 <0.02 6 0.1 92 0.07 2.17104 Cripple Creek above Snowslide Creek near Talkeetna 8.7 0.3 68 26 20 <0.02 37 0.3 80 0.53 0.52105 Cascade Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 88 0.2 87 48 13 <0.02 49 0.6 95 0.36 1.78106 Fourth of July Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 26 0.3 150 49 16 0.02 80 0.8 130 0.57 1.01107 Morris Creek at mouth near Talkeetna 30 0.2 150 47 14 0.07 94 1.2 150 0.49 1.29108 Kichatna River above Morris Creek near Talkeetna 16 <0.1 29 13 33 0.02 17 0.2 63 0.11 1.82
33

Thus, not only did the MDA validate the cluster analysis, 

but the resulting discriminant function could be used to 

assign a basin to one of the two clusters based upon its 

basin characteristics.

PHYSICAL HABITAT AND BIOLOGY OF CAMP 

CREEK AND COSTELLO CREEK

Physical Habitat

Costello Creek is larger and steeper than Camp Creek. 

The study reach at Costello Creek had a mean width of 48.6 

feet, a mean depth of 1.3 feet, a discharge of 104 ft3/s, and a 

steep gradient. The study reach at Camp Creek had a mean 

width of 21.1 feet, a mean depth of 0.7 feet, a discharge of 

8 ft3

/s, and a flat gradient. Otherwise, the physical characteristics of the study reaches were similar (fig. 12-13). Both 

were almost entirely riffle habitat, except for a short run in 

Camp Creek at transect 9 and a small pool downstream of 

transect 4. The substrate was dominated by small cobble 

and large gravel, with boulders distributed throughout Costello Creek. The surrounding tundra is typically devoid of 

trees and an open canopy characterizes both reaches, with 

sparse vegetation on the banks. Costello Creek had 6 percent riparian closure along the banks. Camp Creek had 21 

percent riparian closure, primarily due to scattered willows 

along the banks between transects 8 and 11. Instream structure was predominantly formed by the distribution of cobbles and boulders, as woody debris was nearly absent.

Invertebrates

Benthic macroinvertebrate richest targeted habitat 

(RTH) and qualitative multi-habitat (QMH) samples were 

collected from Costello Creek above Camp Creek in 1998 

and from Costello Creek below Camp Creek in 1999 

(appendix 1). Eighteen taxa and 27 taxa were identified in 

the RTH samples, respectively. Greater than one-half of the 

individuals belonged to the order Diptera in both years. The 

1998 sample consisted of 51 percent Chironomidae, dominated by two genera (Diamesa, Cricotopus/Orthocladius), 

with one abundant Ephemeroptera taxon, Baetis bicaudatus. The 1999 sample consisted of 72 percent Chironomidae, dominated by two genera (Eukiefferiella, 

Cricotopus/Orthocladius), with no particularly abundant 

taxa in Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, or Tricoptera. The 

QMH sample identified an additional 9 taxa in 1998 and an 

additional 10 taxa in 1999.

Benthic macroinvertebrate RTH and QMH samples 

were also collected from Camp Creek during 1999 (appendix 1). Twenty-eight taxa were identified in the RTH sample, with one-half of the individuals belonging to the order 

Diptera. The family Chironomidae, dominated by Eukiefferiella, accounted for 48 percent of all individuals. One TriCoffee River

Crystal Creek

Snowslide Creek

Hidden Creek

Kichatna River

Wildhorse Creek

Long Creek

Cripple Creek

Cascade Creek

Costello Creek above Camp Creek

Colorado Creek

Camp Creek

Costello Creek below Camp Creek

Bear Creek

Fourth of July Creek

Morris Creek

12 10 8 6 4 2 0

DISTANCE

Cluster 2

Cluster 1

Figure 11. Dendrograms of the cluster regions of sites with trace element bed sediment data.
34

TR11

TR1

TR2

TR3

TR4

TR5

TR6

TR7

TR8

TR9

TR10

Dunkle

Mine Camp Cr

West Fork Chulitna R

Colorado Cr

Costello Cr

Reach 600 ft

Bull R

Flow

Steep

embarkment

covered

with

willows

Flood Plain

(Willows 

& loose 

sand/gravel)

Pool

Flow

Small tributary

N

TR Transect

(not to scale)

Willows

Mud

Flood Plain

(Willow & loose sand/gravel)

Run

Steep,

eroding

embarkment

Willows

Mound-covered

in willows

Mound-covered

in willows

LWD

Willows

Gravel/sand mound (~2m high)

Figure 12. Major geomorphic features of the Camp Creek study reach.
35

TR11

TR1

TR2

TR3

TR4

TR5

TR6

TR7

TR8

TR9

TR10

Dunkle

Mine Camp Cr

West Fork Chulitna R

Colorado Cr

Costello Cr

Reach 600 ft

Bull R

Flow

Shallow cobble/ 

small boulders

Steep

crumbling

bedrock

wall

Bar

Flow

Boulders

Point bar

Point bar

N

TR Transect

(not to scale)

Exposed 

gravel

Old 

Streambed Island (scattered willow)

Boulders

Figure 13. Major geomorphic features of the Costello Creek below Camp Creek study reach.
36

coptera genus, Glossosoma, was also abundant. The QMH 

sample identified an additional six taxa. Thus, all three sites 

represent typical interior Alaska taxonomic compositions 

(Oswood, 1989), with Diptera as the most abundant family, 

followed by Plecoptera and Ephemeroptera, and a relatively low proportion of Trichoptera.

Data were further examined at the community level by 

calculation of nine metrics that are sensitive to land-use 

disturbances (Cuffney, 2002) (table 24). These metrics shift 

in a predictable direction with increasing anthropogenic 

impacts (Gibson, 1996). The tolerance values of the organisms used with these metrics were obtained from the 

USEPA (Barbour and others, 1999). Once the metrics were 

calculated, the values were compared with a national data 

set (fig. 14).

Comparison of the metrics calculated for Camp Creek 

and Costello Creek to national values should be done with 

caution. The national data set is based on data from streams 

located in the contiguous United States. Because Camp 

Creek and Costello Creek are located at relatively high latitudes, Irons and others (1999) have noted that there are 

probably natural stressors such as frozen sediments and 

extreme temperature ranges that contribute to differences 

between these sites and streams in the contiguous United 

States. A data base for Alaska streams currently does not 

exist; however, it was felt that comparing data from Camp 

Creek and Costello Creek with the existing national data set 

would still provide some information.

Based on the comparison with the national data set, all 

metrics for all sites fall within the range of observations for 

mixed land use (fig. 14). Most of the metric values are similar to values from streams with at least some anthropogenic effects. Thus, based on this comparison, there might 

be some impact, although minimal, from the Dunkle Mine. 

However, it is more likely due to the fact that Camp Creek 

and Costello Creek are located at relatively high latitudes.

Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

were sampled on consecutive days in 1999 and can be compared. All nine metrics indicate that Camp Creek has a 

macroinvertebrate assemblage more sensitive to poor water 

quality than Costello Creek (fig. 14). Additionally, water 

mites (Acari) were most abundant at Camp Creek, a taxon 

determined to be the most sensitive organism to sedimentation in interior Alaska (Wagener and LaPerriere, 1985); in 

many mined streams they are typically rare. Based on these 

data it is unlikely that past mining activities account for the 

variation in macroinvertebrate communities observed at 

these sites.

Algae

Periphytic algae RTH and QMH samples were collected 

from Costello Creek above Camp Creek in 1998 (appendix 

2). Eleven taxa were identified in the RTH sample. A bluegreen algae, Amphithrix janthina, was the most abundant 

taxon. The diatom community was dominated by Encyonema silesiacum and Gomphonema angustatum, which 

accounted for 40 percent of the diatoms sampled (fig. 15). 

The QMH sample identified 21 additional differentiated 

algae taxa.

Periphytic algae RTH, depositional targeted habitat 

(DTH), and QMH samples were collected from Costello 

Creek below Camp Creek in 1999 (appendix 2). Twentythree and 22 taxa were identified in the RTH and DTH samples, respectively. Amphithrix janthina was the most abundant taxon in the RTH sample again, whereas Hannaea 

arcus, a diatom, was the most abundant taxon in the DTH 

sample. Four species accounted for 85 percent of all diatoms in the RTH sample and three species accounted for 58 

percent of the diatoms in the DTH sample which also contained no soft algae (fig. 15). Eleven additional differentiated algae taxa were identified in the QMH sample.

Periphytic algae RTH, DTH, and QMH samples were 

also collected from Camp Creek in 1999 (appendix 2). 

Twenty-nine and 38 taxa were identified in the RTH and 

DTH samples, respectively. Audouinella violecea, a red 

algae, was the most abundant taxon in the RTH sample and 

Amphithrix janthina was the most abundant taxon in the 

DTH sample. One-half of the diatoms in the RTH sample 

were individuals from three species while four species 

accounted for 65 percent of the diatoms in the DTH sample 

(fig. 15). The QMH sample identified 15 additional differentiated algae taxa.

Four metrics responsive to anthropogenic disturbances 

were calculated for Camp Creek and Costello Creek below 

Camp Creek (Barbour and others, 1999; Stephen D. Porter, 

USGS, written communication, 2002) (table 25) since both 

RTH and DTH samples were collected during that year. 

Genus richness is typically highest at pristine sites or 

slightly disturbed sites and is often reduced at more 

affected sites. Similarly, diversity of algae may be maximized with minor perturbations and only decrease when 

greater effects occur. Because of the complex response patterns of these metrics they are most useful for relative comparisons in larger data sets, although values do provide 

useful baseline measures. Total algal biovolume approximates biomass and is an indicator of algal standing crop, 

estimating the volume of algal cells per surface area of substrate. The percent of diatoms that are motile is an indicator 

of siltation because diatoms that can move will survive sediment deposition better than sessile species that can be 

smothered. This is currently being utilized to rate the algal 

status of streams relative to national observations 

(Groschen and others, 2000; Potapova and others, 2002).
37

LAND USE

Undeveloped

Mining

Mixed

LAND USE

Undeveloped

Mining

Mixed

LAND USE

Undeveloped

Mining

Mixed

RICH EPTRP

70

0

60

50

40

30

20

10

70

0

60

50

40

30

20

10

V2DOMP

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

EPATOLR CHRP

70

0

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

4

3

2

1

EPTR

0

30

20

10

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

EVEN DIVSHAN EPATOLA

1

2

3

5

6

7

8

9

10

4

0.4

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

Camp Creek 1999

Costello Creek below Camp Creek 1999

EXPLANATION

Costello Creek above Camp Creek 1998

Predicted disturbance response

Note: See table 24 for description of invertebrate community metrics used 

 for y-axis.

25th percentile

Median

75th percentile

90th percentile

10th percentile

Figure 14. Invertebrate community metrics from Camp Creek and Costello Creek compared 

to national land-use values (Cuffney, 2002). (Classification for mixed land-use includes

combinations of undeveloped, mining, agriculture, and urban uses.)
38

Genus richness was very similar for RTH samples, but 

was more than twice as large in the Camp Creek DTH sample compared to Costello Creek below Camp Creek. Conversely, diversity was very similar for DTH samples, but 

was greater than 40 percent in Camp Creek for the RTH 

samples. Estimates of standing crop were also larger for 

both sample types from Camp Creek. In the DTH samples 

this was largely attributed to the presence of soft algae not 

found in the sample from Costello Creek. Calculation of a 

supplemental metric, percent similarity, further reflected 

differences in the algal communities at the two sites. RTH 

samples were only 29 percent similar and DTH samples 

were 37 percent similar. All samples for both sites had less 

than 10 percent motile diatoms, placing these sites in the 

top 25 percent nationally for least disturbed streams based 

on the algal status index (fig. 16).

Periphytic algae RTH and QMH samples were collected 

from Colorado Creek in 1998 (appendix 2). There were 

eight taxa found in the RTH sample, which was dominated 

by a blue-green algae, Amphithrix janthina. Greater than 50 

percent of the diatoms were from the genus Gomphonema

(fig. 15). Twenty-four other differentiated algae taxa were 

identified in the QMH sample.

The genus richness and biovolume in this sample were 

relatively low, similar to the 1998 sample from Costello 

Creek above Camp Creek, and dissimilar to the 1999 samples from Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp 

Creek. Like all the other sites, Colorado Creek ranks in the 

top 25 percent of streams nationally for low disturbance 

based on the algal status index.

Table 24. Invertebrate community metrics (Cuffney, 2002)

Metric Description

RICH Total richness (number of taxa)

EPTR Number of Ephemeroptera, Plecopters, and Tricoptera taxa

EPTRP Percentage of taxa composed of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Tricoptera

CHRP Percentage of taxa composed of Chironomidae larvae

V2DOMP Percentage of total abundance represented by the two most abundant taxon

EPATOLR Average EPA tolerance based on richness

EPATOLA Average of abundance-weighted EPA tolerance

DIVSHAN Shannon-Wiener diversity index

EVEN Eveness (Shannon-Wiener diversity/maximum diversity)

RTH DTH

Es

Ga

Rs

Em

Am

Ab

Tf

Rs

Et

Ha

Ga

Rs

Fv

Tf

Ha

St

Fv

Gg

Gp

100

80

60

40

20

0

 Costello

Creek below

Camp Creek

 1999

 Costello

Creek above

Camp Creek

 1998

Camp

Creek

1999

 Costello

Creek below

Camp Creek

 1999

Camp

Creek

1999

Colorado

 Creek

 1998

Figure 15. Relative abundance of diatoms at sampling sites for each species

making up more than 10 percent of a sample (excludes soft algae). (Notations

in appendix 2.)
39

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Camp Creek and its receiving stream, Costello Creek, 

are two small watersheds on the south side of Denali 

National Park and Preserve. Due to the concern about possible effects on water quality from the Dunkle Mine, which 

is located in the Camp Creek watershed, these two watersheds were studied during the summer runoff (June through 

September) from 1999 through 2000 as part of a cooperative study with the National Park Service. In addition to 

Camp Creek and Costello Creek, water-quality data from 

23 other streams on the south side of Denali National Park 

and Preserve, were analyzed for similarities and differences 

in water quality compared to Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek. Streambed sediments from 13 of these sites were 

collected and analyzed for trace elements to supplement 

this analysis.

Analysis of water column, bed sediment, and fish data 

indicate no effects on the water quality of Camp Creek 

from the Dunkle Mine. Although several organic compounds were detected in the streambed of Camp Creek, all 

concentrations were below recommended levels for aquatic 

life and most of the concentrations were below the minimum reporting level of 50 ug/kg. Trace elements concentrations of arsenic, chromium, and nickel in the bed 

sediments of Camp Creek exceeded threshold effect concentrations (TEC), but concentrations of these trace elements were also exceeded in streambed sediments of 

Costello Creek above Camp Creek. Since the percent 

organic carbon in Camp Creek is relatively high, the toxicTable 25. Metric values for algae samples

 [cm3/m2; cubic centimeter per square meter; RTH, richest targeted habitat; DTH, depositional targeted habitat]

Site and sample type Genus 

richness

ShannonWiener diversity 

(of diatoms)

Total algal 

biovolume 

(cm3/m2)

Percent motile 

diatoms 

(siltation index)

Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado -1999 RTH 21 2.60 5.27 5.9

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado - 1999 RTH 20 1.84 2.07 5.6

Camp Creek - 1999 DTH 31 2.62 31.19 6.1

Costello Creek below Camp Creek - 1999 DTH 14 2.57 7.80 9.2

Undeveloped

Mixed

Richest targeted habitat

Depositional targeted habitat

0 20 40 60 80 100

ALGAL STATUS INDEX

EXPLANATION

25th percentile

75th percentile

Camp Creek 1999

Costello Creek below Camp Creek 1999

Figure 16. Algal status index for Camp Creek and Costello Creek below Camp Creek 

[RTH and DTH samples compared to the distribution of national values for different 

land-use types (Groschen and others, 2000). (Classification for mixed land-use 

includes combinations of undeveloped, mining, agriculture, and urban uses.)]
40

ity quotient of 0.55 is only slightly above the threshold 

value of 0.5. Costello Creek has a relatively low organic 

carbon content and has a higher toxicity quotient of 1.19.

Analysis of the water-quality data for other streams 

located in the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve indicate similarities to Camp Creek and Costello 

Creek in terms of streamflow, water temperature, pH, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen. Most of the 

streams are calcium bicarbonate type water with the exception of two streams that are calcium sulfate and magnesium 

sulfate type water. Trace element concentrations of arsenic, 

chromium, and nickel in the bed sediments of 9 streams 

exceeded the TEC or the probable effect concentration 

(PEC). Seven streams exceeded the threshold value of the 

toxicity quotient.

At sites where bed sediment was collected and analyzed 

for trace elements, a statistical technique, cluster analysis, 

indicated two distinct groups: basins that have some percentage of Tertiary deposits with low concentrations of 

arsenic, organic carbon, chromium, and copper, and basins 

that have a low percentage of Tertiary rocks and high concentrations of trace elements and organic carbon. As a 

check on the cluster analysis, another statistical techniques, 

a forward stepwise discriminant analysis, was done using 

the basin characteristics drainage area, amount of glaciers, 

and amount of tertiary deposits, cretaceous deposits, and 

quaternary deposits. This analysis divided the basins into 

the same groups as the cluster analysis. Thus, given the 

basin characteristics of a watershed, the discriminant function can be used to assign a probability of its trace element 

characteristics.

Analysis of invertebrate data from Camp Creek and 

Costello Creek indicate that these streams represent typical 

interior Alaska taxonomic compositions, with Diptera as 

the most abundant family, followed by Plecoptera and 

Ephemeroptera, and a relatively low proportion of Trichoptera. Metric analysis of the data indicate that Camp 

Creek has a macroinvertebrate assembledge more sensitive 

to poor water quality than Costello Creek. Thus, it is 

unlikely that past mining activities account for the variation 

in macroinvertebrate communities observed at Camp Creek 

and Costello Creek.

Based on an algal status index, Camp Creek, Costello 

Creek, and Colorado Creek rank in the top 25 percent of 

streams nationally for low disturbance. Genus richness and 

standing crop from depositional targeted habitat (DTH) 

samples from Camp Creek were more than twice as large as 

DTH samples from Costello Creek.

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1948, 9 p.

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Association, v. 61, p. 109-127.

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43

APPENDIX
44

Appendix 1. Benthic macroinvertebrate data 

 [Abundance data for RTH samples is number of organisms per square meter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism; Life stage: A, 

adult, L, larvae, P, pupae]

Class Order Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Life stage Abundance

Costello Creek near Colorado (site number 58), Richest Target Habitat (RTH) sample August 12, 1998

Arachnida Acari 18

Insecta Ephemeroptera Caenidae Caenis Caenis sp. L 3

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella Drunella doddsi (Needham) L 7

Insecta Ephemeroptera Leptohyphidae Tricorythodes Tricorythodes sp. L 3

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetidae A 18

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Acentrella Acentrella sp. L 3

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Acentrella Acentrella insignificans 

(McDunnough)

L 15

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis sp. L 33

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis bicaudatus Dodds L 285

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula Cinygmula sp. L 21

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 72

Insecta Plecoptera Taeniopterygidae Taeniopterygidae L 3

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 27

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Suwallia Suwallia sp. L 9

Insecta Trichoptera Glossosomatidae Glossosoma Glossosoma sp. L 3

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae P 21

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae A 39

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diamesa Diamesa sp. L 396

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 3

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae P 39

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 129

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus Cricotopus trifascia group L 3

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 12

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 72

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Prosimulium Prosimulium sp. L 9

Insecta Diptera Tipulidae Tipula Tipula sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Empididae Oreogeton Oreogeton sp. L 3

Costello Creek near Colorado (site number 58), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample - August 12, 1998

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella Drunella doddsi (Needham) L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis bicaudatus Dodds L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula Cinygmula sp. L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Capniidae Capniidae L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Nemouridae Zapada Zapada sp. L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Suwallia Suwallia sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Rhyacophilidae Rhyacophila Rhyacophila sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Micropsectra Micropsectra sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diamesa Diamesa sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Pagastia Pagastia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parorthocladius Parorthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Rheocricotopus Rheocricotopus sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Thienemanniella Thienemanniella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Psychodidae Pericoma/Telmatoscopus sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 1

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Prosimulium Prosimulium sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Tipulidae Tipula Tipula sp. L 1
45

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado (site number 96), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 3, 1999

Acari Hydrachnidia 34

Insecta Collembola Collembola 5

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Ephemerellidae L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella Drunella doddsi (Needham) L 5

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus Ameletus sp. L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetidae L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis bicaudatus Dodds L 19

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula Cinygmula sp. L 8

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 43

Insecta Plecoptera Capniidae Capniidae L 2

Insecta Plecoptera Nemouridae Zapada Zapada sp. L 10

Insecta Plecoptera Taeniopterygidae Taenionema Taenionema sp. L 2

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 38

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Suwallia Suwallia sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Glossosomatidae Glossosoma Glossosoma sp. L 14

Insecta Trichoptera Limnephilidae Limnephilidae L 10

Insecta Trichoptera Limnephilidae Limnephilidae P 2

Insecta Coleoptera Staphylinidae Staphylinidae A 3

Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae Bezzia/Palpomyia sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae Forcipomyia Forcipomyia sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae A 10

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae P 17

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Tanytarsus Tanytarsus sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diamesinae L 7

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diamesa Diamesa sp. L 38

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Pagastia Pagastia sp. L 5

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Syndiamesa Syndiamesa sp. L 17

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 36

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae P 5

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 182

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chaetocladius Chaetocladius sp. L 5

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 192

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parorthocladius Parorthocladius sp. L 24

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Rheocricotopus Rheocricotopus sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parochlus Parochlus kiefferi (Garrett) L 2

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 10

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado (site number 96), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample -August 3, 1999

Turbellaria Turbellaria 1

Acari Hydrachnidia 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella Drunella doddsi (Needham) L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus Ameletus sp. L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis bicaudatus Dodds L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula Cinygmula sp. L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Capniidae Capniidae L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Nemouridae Zapada Zapada sp. L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Perlodidae Isoperla Isoperla sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Rhyacophilidae Rhyacophila Rhyacophila sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Limnephilidae Ecclisomyia Ecclisomyia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diamesa Diamesa sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Pagastia Pagastia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Syndiamesa Syndiamesa sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 1

Appendix 1. Benthic macroinvertebrate data 

 [Abundance data for RTH samples is number of organisms per square meter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism; Life stage: A, 

adult, L, larvae, P, pupae]

Class Order Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Life stage Abundance
46

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado (site number 96), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample -August 3, 1999—Continued

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Diplocladius Diplocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Heleniella Heleniella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Pseudosmittia Pseudosmittia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Rheocricotopus Rheocricotopus sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Synorthocladius Synorthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Tvetenia Tvetenia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Culicidae Culicidae A 1

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 1

Insecta Diptera Tipulidae Tipula Tipula sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Empididae Oreogeton Oreogeton sp. L 1

Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado (site number 95), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 4, 1999

Turbellaria Turbellaria 2

Acari Hydrachnidia 68

Insecta Collembola Collembola 8

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Ephemerellidae L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Drunella Drunella doddsi (Needham) L 5

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus Ameletus sp. L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetidae A 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Acentrella Acentrella turbida (McDunnough) L 12

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis tricaudatus Dodds L 3

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Heptageniidae L 2

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Cinygmula Cinygmula sp. L 8

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 12

Insecta Plecoptera Capniidae Capniidae L 2

Insecta Plecoptera Leuctridae Despaxia Despaxia augusta (Banks) L 3

Insecta Plecoptera Nemouridae Zapada Zapada sp. L 6

Insecta Plecoptera Nemouridae Zapada Zapada cinctipes (Banks) L 2

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 5

Insecta Plecoptera Perlodidae Perlodidae L 2

Insecta Trichoptera Glossosomatidae Glossosoma Glossosoma sp. L 104

Insecta Trichoptera Limnephilidae Limnephilidae L 5

Insecta Diptera Ceratopogonidae Bezzia/Palpomyia sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae A 20

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae P 3

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Chironominae P 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Tanytarsini L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Rheotanytarsus Rheotanytarsus sp. P 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Stempellina Stempellina sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Stempellinella Stempellinella sp. P 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 8

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae P 5

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 27

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Brillia Brillia sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Corynoneura Corynoneura sp. L 2

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 119

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parorthocladius Parorthocladius sp. L 6

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Thienemanniella Thienemanniella sp. L 27

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Tvetenia Tvetenia sp. L 15

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Thienemannimyia group sp. 

(Coffman and Ferrington)

L 2

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 5

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simulium Simulium sp. A 2

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simulium Simulium sp. L 2

Appendix 1. Benthic macroinvertebrate data 

 [Abundance data for RTH samples is number of organisms per square meter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism; Life stage: A, 

adult, L, larvae, P, pupae]

Class Order Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Life stage Abundance
47

Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado (site number 95), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample - 8-4-1999

Gastropoda Valvatidae Valvata Valvata sp. 1

Gastropoda Hydrobiidae Hydrobiidae 1

Acari Hydrachnidia 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ephemerellidae Ephemerellidae L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Ameletidae Ameletus Ameletus sp. L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Acentrella Acentrella turbida (McDunnough) L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Baetidae Baetis Baetis sp. L 1

Insecta Ephemeroptera Heptageniidae Epeorus Epeorus sp. L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Leuctridae Despaxia Despaxia augusta (Banks) L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Chloroperlidae L 1

Insecta Plecoptera Chloroperlidae Suwallia Suwallia sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Glossosomatidae Glossosoma Glossosoma sp. L 1

Insecta Trichoptera Brachycentridae Brachycentrus Brachycentrus americanus (Banks) L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Pagastia Pagastia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Orthocladiinae L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Cricotopus/Orthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Corynoneura Corynoneura sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Eukiefferiella Eukiefferiella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parametriocnemus Parametriocnemus sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Parorthocladius Parorthocladius sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Thienemanniella Thienemanniella sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Chironomidae Tvetenia Tvetenia sp. L 1

Insecta Diptera Simuliidae Simuliidae L 1

Appendix 1. Benthic macroinvertebrate data 

 [Abundance data for RTH samples is number of organisms per square meter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism; Life stage: A, 

adult, L, larvae, P, pupae]

Class Order Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Life stage Abundance
48

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data 

 [Abundance data for RTH and DTH samples is number of cells per square centimeter; biovolume data for RTH and DTH samples is cubic micrometers per square 

centimeter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism]

Algae group Phylum Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Notation Abundance Biovolume

Colorado Creek near Colorado, (site number 57), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 13, 1998

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes pusilla (Grunow) DeToni 176 11,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes lanceolata (Brébisson in 

Kützing) Grunow 176 49,700

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 176 112,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema gracile Ehr. emend. V. H. Gg 527 429,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum (K ̧tz.) K ̧tz. 176 38,200

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum var. parvulius 

Lange-Bertalot & Reichardt

Gp 527 158,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia palea (Kütz.) W. Sm. 176 53,400

Blue-Green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Amphithrix Amphithrix janthina (Mont.) Born. and 

Flah. 36400 300,000

Colorado Creek near Colorado, (site number 57), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample - August 13, 1998

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes exigua var. heterovalva 

Krasske 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes lanceolata (Brébisson in 

Kützing) Grunow 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes lanceolata subsp. rostrata 

(Øestrup) Lange-Bertalot 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes pusilla (Grunow) DeToni 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Cocconeis Cocconeis placentula var. lineata (Ehrenberg) Van Heurck 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Psammothidium Psammothidium bioretii (Germ.) Bukht. et 

Round 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria capucina var. rumpens (Kützing) Lange-Bertalot 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Hannaea Hannaea arcus (Ehr.) Patr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosira Staurosira construens var. venter (Ehr.) 

Hamilton 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Caloneis Caloneis bacillum (Grunow) Cleve 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleisch) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema olivaceum (Lyngb.) Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema gracile Ehr. emend. V. H. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum var. parvulius 

Lange-Bertalot & Reichardt 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema sarcophagus Greg. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Neidium Neidium sp.1 ANS LJM 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Pinnularia Pinnularia borealis Ehrenberg 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Pinnularia Pinnularia microstauron (Ehr.) Cl. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & Stoermer 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Stauroneis Stauroneis phoenicenteron (Nitz.) Ehr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia linearis (Ag. ex W. Sm.) W. Sm. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia dissipata (Kütz.) Grun. 1

Blue-Green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Anabaena Anabaena subcylindrica Borge 1

Blue-Green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Oscillatoria Oscillatoria princeps Vauch. 1

Green Chlorophyta ChaetophoraceaeStigeoclonium Stigeoclonium lubricum (Dillw.) Kütz. 1
49

Costello Creek near Colorado, (site number 58), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 12, 1998

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosirella Staurosirella pinnata (Her.) Williams & 

Round 197 295,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Cymbella Cymbella cymbiformis Ag. 197 164,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Didymosphenia Didymosphenia geminata (Lyngb.) M. 

Schmidt 197 10,800,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleic. in Raben.) 

Mann

Es 394 250,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema subclavatum (Grun.) Grun. 197 156,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (Kütz.) Rabh. Ga 394 158,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula radiosa var. tenella (Bréb. ex 

Kütz.) Grun. 197 40,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta ThalassiosiraceaeCyclotella Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing 197 144,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Amphithrix Amphithrix janthina (Mont.) Born. And 

Flah. 10,100 126,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Oscillatoria Oscillatoria granulata Gardner 5,710 207,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Oscillatoria Oscillatoria sp. 1,980 246,000

Costello Creek near Colorado, (site number 58), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample - August 12, 1998

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthidium Achnanthidium minutissimum (Küzing) 

Czarnecki 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Planothidium Planothidium lanceolatum 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria vaucheriae (Kütz.) Peters. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Hannaea Hannaea arcus (Ehr.) Patr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosira Staurosira construens var. venter (Ehr.) 

Hamilton 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosirella Staurosirella leptostauron Ehr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Eunotiaceae Eunotia Eunotia pectinalis (O. F. Müll.) Rabh. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Cymbella Cymbella cistula (Ehr.) Kirchn. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse in Rabenhorst) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (K ̧üz.) Rabh. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema olivaceoides Hust. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum (Kütz.) Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Luticola Luticola mutica (Kütz.) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula leptostriata Jorg. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Pinnularia Pinnularia subcapitata Greg. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & Stoermer 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia palea (Kütz.) W. Sm. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta unknown undifferentiated undifferentiated diatoms 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta unknown undifferentiated undifferentiated diatoms 1

Blue-green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Anabaena Anabaena sp. 1

Green Chlorophyta Zygnemataceae Mougeotia Mougeotia sp. 1

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data 

 [Abundance data for RTH and DTH samples is number of cells per square centimeter; biovolume data for RTH and DTH samples is cubic micrometers per square 

centimeter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism]

Algae group Phylum Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Notation Abundance Biovolume
50

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, (site number 96), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 3, 1999

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes biasolettiana (Kützing) 

Grunow

Ab 1,480 183,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthidium Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) 

Czarnecki

Am 2,170 118,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Cocconeis Cocconeis placentula var. lineata (Ehrenberg) Van Heurck 29 28,700

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Planothidium Planothidium lanceolatum 29 5,490

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria vaucheriae (Kütz.) Peters. 114 22,600

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 57 36,200

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosirella Staurosirella pinnata (Her.) Williams & 

Round 57 85,400

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Amphora Amphora pediculus (Kützing) Grun. 399 42,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse in Rabenhorst) MannEm 3,140 575,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleic. in Raben.) 

Mann 114 72,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum (Kütz.) Kütz. 29 6,160

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (K ̧tz.) Rabh. 228 91,800

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema gracile Ehr. emend. V. H. 29 23,200

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Luticola Luticola goeppertiana Mann 57 428,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula minima Grun. 570 27,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & StoermerRs 4,590 754,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Sellaphora Sellaphora seminulum (Grun.) Mann 57 3,090

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia inconspicua Grun. 171 6,120

Blue-green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Amphithrix Amphithrix janthina (Mont.) Born. And 

Flah. 39,000 490,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Microcoleus Microcoleus vaginatus (Vauch.) Gom. 10,800 357,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Oscillatoria Oscillatoria sp. 3,950 491,000

Green Chlorophyta ChaetophoraceaeStigeoclonium Stigeoclonium lubricum (Dillw.) Kütz. 8,380 11,000,000

Red Rhodophyta Chantransiacea Audouinella Audouinella violacea Kütz. 31,800 193,000,000

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado (site number 96), Depositional Targeted Habitat (DTH) Sample - August 3, 1999

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Planothidium Planothidium lanceolatum 18,300 3,520,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Diatoma Diatoma mesodon (Ehr.) Kütz. 27,400 23,300,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria vaucheriae (Kütz.) Peters. Fv 119,000 23,500,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Hannaea Hannaea arcus (Ehr.) Patr. Ha 256,000 403,000,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 82,300 52,200,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Staurosira Staurosira construens var. venter (Ehr.) 

Hamilton 27,000 2,410,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra rumpens Kütz. 45,700 5,200,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehr. 18,300 112,000,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Amphora Amphora pediculus (Kützing) Grun. 18,300 1,920,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse in Rabenhorst) Mann 27,400 5,030,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleic. in Raben.) 

Mann 27,400 17,400,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (Kütz.) Rabh. Ga 146,000 58,800,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Ag. 9,140 3,250,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema olivaceoides Hust. 18,300 3,280,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum (Kütz.) Kütz. 18,300 3,950,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Luticola Luticola mutica (Kütz.) Mann 18,300 11,800,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula gregaria Donk. 54,800 15,600,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula pelliculosa Hilse 9,140 244,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula viridula var. rostellata (Kütz.) 

Cl. 9,140 8,130,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & StoermerRs 119,000 19,500,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia dissipata (Kütz.) Grun. 18,300 4,650,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia microcephala Grun. 9,140 993,000

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data 

 [Abundance data for RTH and DTH samples is number of cells per square centimeter; biovolume data for RTH and DTH samples is cubic micrometers per square 

centimeter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism]

Algae group Phylum Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Notation Abundance Biovolume
51

Costello Creek below Camp Creek near Colorado, (site number 96), Qualitative Multi-Habitat (QMH) Sample - August 3, 1999

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes biasolettiana (Kützing) 

Grunow 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthidium Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) 

Czarnecki 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Cocconeis Cocconeis placentula var. lineata (Ehrenberg) Van Heurck 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Psammothidium Psammothidium bioretii (Germ.) Bukht. et 

Round 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Diatoma Diatoma mesodon (Ehr.) Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria vaucheriae (Kütz.) Peters. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Hannaea Hannaea arcus (Ehr.) Patr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra rumpens Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehr. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Tabellaria Tabellaria flocculosa (Roth) Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse in Rabenhorst) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleic. in Raben.) 

Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (Kütz.) Rabh. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Ag. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema olivaceoides Hust. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema parvulum (Kütz.) Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Luticola Luticola mutica (Kutz.) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula cryptocephala Kütz. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula cryptocephala var. veneta 

(Kütz.) Rabh. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula gregaria Donk. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula minima Grun. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula radiosa var. tenella (Bréb. ex 

Kütz.) Grun. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula viridula var. rostellata (Kütz.) 

Cl. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & Stoermer 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Sellaphora Sellaphora seminulum (Grun.) Mann 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia palea (Kütz.) W. Sm. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia subtilis Grun. 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta unknown undifferentiated undifferentiated diatoms 1

Diatoms Chrysophyta unknown undifferentiated undifferentiated diatoms 1

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Lyngbya Lyngbya martensiana Menegh. 1

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Oscillatoria Oscillatoria formosa Bory 1

Euglenoids Euglenophyta Euglenaceae Phacus Phacus pseudoswirenkoi Prescott 1

Green Chlorophyta Zygnemataceae Mougeotia Mougeotia sp. 1

Red Rhodophyta Chantransiacea Audouinella Audouinella violacea Kütz. 1

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data 

 [Abundance data for RTH and DTH samples is number of cells per square centimeter; biovolume data for RTH and DTH samples is cubic micrometers per square 

centimeter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism]

Algae group Phylum Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Notation Abundance Biovolume
52

Camp Creek at mouth near Colorado, (site number 95), Richest Targeted Habitat (RTH) Sample - August 4, 1999

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes biasolettiana (Kützing) 

Grunow 224 27,700

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Achnanthes Achnanthes lanceolata var. haynaldii 

(Schaarschmidt) Cleve 448 165,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Achnanthaceae Cocconeis Cocconeis placentula var. lineata (Ehrenberg) Van Heurck 224 226,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Fragilaria Fragilaria vaucheriae (Kütz.) Peters. 1,340 266,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Hannaea Hannaea arcus (Ehr.) Patr. 448 704,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Meridion Meridion circulare (Grev.) Ag. 224 142,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra rumpens Kütz. 112 12,700

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Synedra Synedra ulna (Nitz.) Ehr. 1,570 9,590,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Diatomaceae Tabellaria Tabellaria flocculosa (Roth) Kütz. Tf 4,030 1,440,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Epithemiaceae Epithemia Epithemia turgida (Ehr.) Kütz. Et 2,350 25,000,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Amphora Amphora pediculus (K ̧tzing) Grun. 896 94,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Cymbella Cymbella cistula (Ehr.) Kirchn. 224 270,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema lunatum (Smith) V. H. 224 415,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema silesiacum (Bleic. in Raben.) 

Mann 224 142,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Encyonema Encyonema minutum (Hilse in Rabenhorst) Mann 896 164,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema minutum (Ag.) Ag. 448 159,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema angustatum (Kütz.) Rabh. 448 180,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Gomphonema Gomphonema olivaceum (Lyngb.) Kütz. 224 83,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula radiosa Kütz. 448 497,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Navicula Navicula radiosa var. tenella (Bréb. ex 

Kütz.) Grun. 224 45,700

Diatoms Chrysophyta Naviculaceae Reimeria Reimeria sinuata (Greg.) Kociolek & StoermerRs 3,140 515,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia inconspicua Grun. 224 8,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta Nitzschiaceae Nitzschia Nitzschia perminuta (Grun.) Peragallo 224 34,000

Diatoms Chrysophyta ThalassiosiraceaeCyclotella Cyclotella meneghiniana Kützing 112 82,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Amphithrix Amphithrix janthina (Mont.) Born. and 

Flah. 23,200 292,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Nostocaceae Anabaena Anabaena sp. 3,280 272,000

Blue-green Cyanophyta Oscillatoriaceae Lyngbya Lyngbya sp. 16,100 2,240,000

Green Chlorophyta Zygnemataceae Mougeotia Mougeotia sp. 6,060 31,100,000

Red Rhodophyta Chantransiacea Audouinella Audouinella violacea Kütz. 74,700 453,000,000

Appendix 2. Periphytic algae data 

 [Abundance data for RTH and DTH samples is number of cells per square centimeter; biovolume data for RTH and DTH samples is cubic micrometers per square 

centimeter; abundance data for QMH samples indicates the presence of that organism]

Algae group Phylum Family Genus Lowest taxonomic level Notation Abundance Biovolume