From: Rick Johnson <richard.johnson@npgcable.com> 

To: Kurt Dongoske <kdongoske@cableone.net>, Dennis Kubly <dkubly@uc.usbr.gov>, 

 John Hamill <jhamill@usgs.gov> 

Date: Thu, Jun 21, 2007 1:45 PM 

Subject: Selenium 

Greetings, 

I'd like to discuss having GCMRC conduct a risk assessment (similar to the recent Dreissena risk 

assessment) on the effects of selenium in Grand Canyon at the upcoming TWG. I will only be available 

on Monday the 25th, so would appreciate having the discussion on that day. 

This concern was raised because of a recent paper about the potential for selenium to affect fish in 

Grand Canyon. Hinck et al. (2007. Chemical contaminants, health indicators, and reproductive 

biomarker responses in fish from the Colorado River and its tributaries. Science of the Total Environment 

378:376-402) conclude that selenium concentrations exceeded toxicity thresholds for fish at sites both 

above and below the Grand Canyon. Given that levels of selenium in the lower basin are derived mainly 

from sources in the upper basin, fish in Grand Canyon presumably are also be exposed to toxic levels 

of selenium. 

There is an extensive literature on the effects of selenium on fish, including the endangered big river fish. 

For example, Hamilton and Lemly (1999. Commentary. Water-sediment controversy in setting 

environmental standards for selenium. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 44:227-235) state, 

"Toxic effects from selenium and other inorganics are important factors in the decline of these species 

[i.e., pikeminnow, razorback, bonytail & humpback] and inhibition of their recovery." 

It would also be useful for GCMRC to address the recent controversy regarding EPA standards for 

selenium in the risk assessment. 

I've attached an initial bibliography that may be useful. 
ADEQ. nd. A water quality investigation of seventeen Grand Canyon tributaries: July 2004 - 

May 2005. OFR-07-04. 

ADEQ. 2005. The status of water quality in Arizona – 2004. Arizona’s integrated 305(b) 

assessment and 303(d) listing report. Reissued July 2005 to include EPA revisions. Online at: 

http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/water/assessment/2004.html. 

 

ADWQ. 2005. TMDL status report. Report dated 1 Sept 2005. 

Allert, A. L., et al. 2006. Using on-site bioassays to determine selenium risk to propagated 

endangered fishes. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26:308-316. 

Andrews, B. J., et al. 1997. Environmental contaminants in fish and wildlife of Havasu National 

Wildlife Refuge, Arizona. Report 22410-1131-2N17. Report dated May 1997. 71 pages. 

Beyers, D. W. and C. Sodergren. 2002. Assessment of exposure of larval razorback sucker to 

selenium in natural waters Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 42:53-59. 

Butler, D. L., et al. 1996. Detailed study of selenium and other constituents in water, bottom 

sediment, soil, alfalfa, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Uncompahgre Project 

Area and in the Grand Valley, west-central Colorado, 1991-1993. 136 pages. 

Cairns, J., Jr. and S. E. Palmer. 1993. Senescent reservoirs and ecological restoration: An 

overdue reality check. Restoration Ecology 1:212-219. 

Chapman, P. M. 2007. Selenium thresholds for fish from cold freshwaters. Human and 

Ecological Risk Assessment 13:20-24. 

Clark, S. L. 1995. The distribution of selenium in the Upper Colorado River. Dissertation. 

Arizona State University. 

Clean Colorado River Alliance. 2006. Recommendations to address Colorado River water 

quality. 

Coughlan, D. J. and J. S. Velte. 1989. Dietary toxicity of selenium-contaminated red shiners to 

striped bass. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 118:400-408. 

Engberg, R. A. 1999. Selenium budgets for Lake Powell and the Upper Colorado river basin. 

Journal of the American Water Resources Association 35:771-786. 

EPA. 2004. Draft aquatic life water quality criteria for selenium--2004. Report no. EPA-822-D04-001. Report dated 12 November 2004. 

Fournier, E., et al. 2005. Bioaccumulation of waterborne selenium in the Asiatic clam Corbicula 

fluminea: influence of feeding-induced ventilatory activity and selenium species. Aquatic 

Toxicology 72:251-260. 
García-Hernández, J., et al. 2000. Bioaccumulation of selenium (Se) in the Cienega de Santa 

Clara wetland, Sonora, Mexico. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 46:298-304. 

García-Hernández, J. and others. 2001. Selenium, selected inorganic elements, and 

organochlorine pesticides in bottom material and biota from the Colorado River delta. Journal 

of Arid Environments 49:65-90. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 1988. Selenium and other trace elements in wild larval razorback suckers 

from the Green River, Utah. 40 pages. 

Hamilton, S. J. and R. H. Wiedmeyer. 1990. Bioaccumulation of a mixture of boron, 

molybdenum, and selenium in chinook salmon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 

119:500-510. 

Hamilton, S. J. and B. Waddell. 1994. Selenium in eggs and milt of razorback sucker, 

Xyrauchen texanus, in the middle Green River, Utah. Archives of Environmental Contamination 

and Toxicology 27:195-201. 

Hamilton, S. J. 1995. Hazard assessment of inorganics to three endangered fish in the Green 

River, Utah. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 30:134-142. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 1996. Evaluation of toxicity to larval razorack sucker of selenium-laden 

food organisms from Ouray NWR on the Green River, Utah. Final Report to the Upper 

Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program 

Hamilton, S. J. 1998. Selenium effects on endangered fish in the Colorado River basin. Page(s) 

297-313 in Frankenberger, W. T. and R. A. Engberg. Environmental chemistry of selenium. 

Hamilton, S. J. 1999. Hypothesis of historical effects from selenium on endangered fish in the 

Colorado River basin. Page(s) 513-516 in Proceedings of the American Water Resources 

Conference, Watershed Management to Protect Declining Species. 

Hamilton, S. J. and A. D. Lemly. 1999. Commentary. Water-sediment controversy in setting 

environmental standards for selenium. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 44:227-235. 

Hamilton, S. J. 2000. Hypothesis of historical effects from selenium on endangered fish in the 

Colorado River basin. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment 5:1153-1180. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2000. Chronic toxicity and hazard assessment of an inorganic mixture 

simulating irrigation drainwater to razorback sucker and bonytail. Environmental Toxicology 

15:48-64. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2000. Hazard assessment of selenium and other trace elements in wild 

larval razorback sucker from the Green River, Utah. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 

45:132-147. 

Hamilton, S. J. and V. P. Palace. 2001. Assessment of selenium effects in lotic ecosystems. 

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 50:161-166. 
Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2002. Hazard assessment of selenium to endangered razorback suckers 

(Xyrauchen texanus). Science of the Total Environment 291:111-121. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2002. Impact of selenium and other trace elements on the endangered 

adult razorback sucker. Environmental Toxicology 17:297-323. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2002. Toxicity of selenium and other elements in food organisms to 

razorback sucker larvae. Aquatic Toxicology 59:253-281. 

Hamilton, S. J. 2003. Review of residue-based selenium toxicity thresholds for freshwater fish. 

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 56:201-10. 

Hamilton, S. J. 2004. Review of selenium toxicity in the aquatic food chain. Science of the 

Total Environment 326:1-31. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2004. Evaluation of flushing of a high-selenium backwater channel in the 

Colorado River. Environmental Toxicology 19:51-81. 

Hamilton, S. J. 2005. Commentary: selenium study on endangered razorback sucker is flawed. 

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 61:313–326. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2005. Reduced growth and survival of larval razorback sucker fed 

selenium-laden zooplankton. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 61:190-208. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2005. Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado. 

II. Eggs Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 61:32-43. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2005. Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado. 

III. Larvae. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 61:168-189. 

Hamilton, S. J., et al. 2005. Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado. I. 

Adults Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 61:7-31. 

Hanna, R. B. 2005. A load modeling approach for evaluating selenium stream standards 

compliance. CSU. 

Hart, R. J., et al. 2005. Sediment chemistry of the Colorado River delta of Lake Powell, Utah, 

2001. USGS Open-File Report 2005-1178. 33 pages. 

Hillwalker, W. E., et al. 2006. Selenium accumulation patterns in lotic and lentic aquatic 

systems. Science of the Total Environment 366:367-379. 

Hinck, J. E. and others. 2006. Biomonitoring of environmental status and trends (BEST) 

program: Environmental contaminants, health indicators, and reproductive biomarkers in fish 

from the Colorado River basin. USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5163. 
Hinck, J. E., et al. 2007. Chemical contaminants, health indicators, and reproductive biomarker 

responses in fish from the Colorado River and its tributaries. Science of the Total Environment 

378:376-402. 

Kidd, D. E. and L. D. Potter. 1978. Analysis of metallic cations in the Lake Powell ecosystem 

and tributaries. Lake Powell Research Project Bulletin 63. 

Korte, N. E. 2000. Selenium poisoning of wildlife and western agriculture: Cause and effect 

Lemly, A. 2002. Toxic effects of selenium in fish. Page(s) 39-58 in Lemly, A. D. Selenium 

assessment in aquatic ecosystems: A guide for hazard evaluation and water quality criteria. 

Lemly, A. D. 1993. Metabolic stress during winter increases the toxicity of selenium to fish. 

Aquatic Toxicology 27:133-158. 

Lemly, A. D. 1993. Teratogenic effects of selenium in natural populations of freshwater fish. 

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 26:181-204. 

Lemly, A. D. 1996. Selenium in aquatic organisms. Page(s) 427-445 in Beyer, W. N., et al. 

Environmental contaminants in wildlife: interpreting tissue concentrations. 

Lemly, A. D. 1996. Assessing the toxic threat of selenium to fish and aquatic birds. 

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 43:19-35. 

Lemly, A. D. 1997. Environmental implications of excessive selenium: A review. Biomedical 

and Environmental Sciences 10:415-435. 

Lemly, A. D. 1997. Environmental hazard of selenium in the Animas-La Plata water 

development project. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 37:92-96. 

Lemly, A. D. 1997. Review. A position paper on selenium in ecotoxicology: A procedure for 

deriving site-specific water quality criteria. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 39:1-9. 

Lemly, A. D. 1998. Pathology of selenium poisoning in fish. Page(s) 281-296 in Frankenberger, 

J., William T. and R. A. Engberg. Environmental chemistry of selenium. 

Lemly, A. D. 1999. Selenium impacts on fish: An insidious time bomb. Human and Ecological 

Risk Assessment 5:1139-1151. 

Lemly, A. D. 2002. Interpreting selenium concentrations. Page(s) 18-38 in Lemly, A. D. 

Selenium assessment in aquatic ecosystems: A guide for hazard evaluation and water quality 

criteria. 

Lemly, A. D. 2002. A procedure for setting environmentally safe total maximum daily loads 

(TMDLs) for selenium. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 52:123-127. 

Lemly, A. D. 2002. Symptoms and implications of selenium toxicity in fish: the Belews Lake 

case example. Aquatic Toxicology 57:39-49. 
Lemly, A. D. 2004. Aquatic selenium pollution is a global environmental safety issue. 

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 59:44-56. 

Martinez, C. T. 1994. Selenium levels in selected species of aquatic birds on Imperial National 

Wildlife Refuge. MS. UA, Tucson. 

McDonald, B. G. and P. M. Chapman. 2007. Selenium effects: A weight-of-evidence approach. 

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management:129-136. 

Osmundson, B. C., et al. 2000. Selenium concentrations in the Colorado pikeminnow 

(Ptychocheilus lucius): relationship with flows in the Upper Colorado River. Archives of 

Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 38:479-485. 

Potter, L. D. and C. L. Drake. 1989. Lake Powell: Virgin flow to dynamo. UNM Press. 311 

pages. 

Presser, T. S., et al. 1994. Bioaccumulation of selenium from natural geologic sources in 

western states and its potential consequences. Journal of Environmental Management 18:423-

436. 

Rowland, R. C., et al. 2002. Hydrologic, sediment, and biological data associated with irrigation 

drainage in the middle Green River basin, Utah and Colorado, water years 1991-2000. U.S. 

Geological Survey Open File Report 02-343. 

Seiler, R. L. 1996. Synthesis of data from studies by the National Irrigation Water-Quality 

Program. Journal of the American Water Resources Association 32:1233-1245. 

Seiler, R. L., et al. 1999. Areas susceptible to irrigation-induced selenium contamination of 

water and biota in the western United States. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1180. 

Seiler, R. L., et al. 2003. Irrigation-induced contamination of water, sediment, and biota in the 

western United States - Synthesis of data from the National Irrigation Water Quality Program. 

USGS Professional Paper 1655. 

Simmons, D. B. D. and D. Wallschlager. 2005. A critical review of the biogeochemistry and 

ecotoxicology of selenium in lotic and lentic environments. Environmental Toxicology and 

Chemistry 24:1331-1342. 

Stephens, D. W., et al. 1992. Detailed study of selenium and selected elements in water, bottom 

sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the middle Green River Basin, Utah, 

1988-1990. USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 92-4084. 

Stephens, D. W. and B. Waddell. 1998. Selenium sources and effects on biota in the Green 

River basin of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. Page(s) 183-203 in Frankenberg, W. T. and R. A. 

Engberg. Environmental chemistry of selenium. 

USGS. 2000. NASQAN data. 
Waddell, B. and C. Wiens. 1993. Reconnaissance study of trace elements in water, sediment 

and biota of Lake Powell. USFWS Biological Interim Report 18 pages. 

Waddell, B. and C. Weins. 1994. Monitoring of selenium in fish of the Green River, Utah. 

Biological Draft Report 14 pages. 

Waddell, B. and T. May. 1995. Selenium concentrations in the razorback sucker (Xyrauchen 

texanus): Substitution of non-lethal muscle plugs for muscle tissue in contaminant assessment. 

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 28:321-326. 

Wilson, R. M., et al. 1995. Environmental contaminants in biota from the San Juan River and 

selected tributaries in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Biological Report 60 pages. 

Wood, C. W. and D. B. Kimball. 1987. Water resources management plan and environmental 

assessment. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona/Utah.