The Historical Record of Metals in Sediments from Six Lakes in the Fraser River Basin, British Columbia

Abstract

Sediment cores were collected from six lakes (Moose, Stuart, Chilko, Kamloops, Nicola and Harrison Lakes) distributed throughout the Fraser River Basin, British Columbia. The cores were dated primarily from 210Pb profiles and dating was corroborated by counting laminae and by using 137Cs as a discrete time marker. The cores were analyzed for a suite of metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn) and organic carbon. The data were evaluated in the context of post-1900 contamination by metals in the Fraser River basin. Overall, lake sediments from the Fraser Basin remain relatively pristine in terms of metal contamination, exhibiting only minor metal enrichments in layers dating from industrial times (post-1900). Stuart Lake, which received Hg contamination from a mine on Pinchi Lake, shows a clear contaminant Hg signal. Pb exhibits ubiquitous contamination in five of the six lakes studied. The Pb enrichments are minor (ranging from 8.4 to 30.9 μg g-1) and consistent with local automotive emissions from the use of leaded gasoline possibly augmented by long-range transport from industrial and municipal centers along the west coast. The largest Pb fluxes were observed in Kamloops, Moose and Harrison Lakes, each of which has either a highway or a large urban centre as a local source of Pb. This watershed-scale evaluation offers a unique opportunity to compare the relative importance of local and regional sources of contamination.