Fox River Research Articles

Mobility of 2,2’,5,5’-Tetrachlorobiphenyl in Model Systems Containing Bottom Sediments and Water from the Lower Fox River, Wisconsin

Sediment-water partitioning and diffusive transport of 2,2’,5,5’-tetrachlorobiphenyl, PCB congener IUPAC #52 (TCB52) were examined in laboratory experiments with sediments from two sites in the lower Fox River, Wisconsin. Native water was pumped at controlled flow rates through cells containing sediments amended with a known activity of carbon-14-labeled TCB52. Concentrations of TCB52 in water and sediments were determined by liquid scintillation measurements of carbon-14 activity. Sediment-water partitioning was independent of flow rate for rates up to 8 m/d. Distribution coefficients (K d) and soil-sorption coefficients (K oc) were found to be at maximum levels 5–10 cm below the surface, despite an absence of significant variation in the fraction of organic carbon (f oc) through the same profile. Other factors, such as the effects of colloids and microbial activity in the sediments, are likely to be important in controlling the PCB distribution. Log K d and log K oc ranges were 4.1–4.9 and 5.3–6.1, respectively, and calculated effective diffusivities at the sediment-water interface ranged from 3 to 8 × 10 −10 cm 2/s. Gradual increases with time in TCB52 concentrations in the water phase, possibly due to effects of microbial activity, were observed. Diffusion experiments and models showed that the TCB52 migration rate within the sediment column is 8-9 mm/yr.

Fox River sediment study to produce cleanup strategies

Fox River sediment study to produce cleanup strategies

Detection of noble metal depletion in layered mafic intrusions: a potential aid to exploration for platinum-group element deposits

In layered mafic intrusions, economically important platinum-group element (PGE) mineralisation can result from collection of PGE and Au from the silicate melt by Ni ( ± Cu) S droplets, which settle to form PGE- and Au-enriched layers. An important consequence is that the PGE and Au are depleted in the remaining silicate fraction. The ability to recognise PGE and Au depletion in rocks crystallised from a depleted melt would be useful in exploration for discriminating between favourable (containing PGE- and Au-depleted silicates) and unfavourable layers (those that had not experienced NiS collection of PGE and Au). Drychlorination was applied to drill core samples of the Fox River Sill (Manitoba, Canada) in order to remove metallic minerals. The remaining silicate fractions were digested by microwave heating in a mixture of HFHClHNO 3, evaporated to near dryness, re-digested in aqua regia, and re-constituted in distilled de-ionized water. The solutions were analysed by ICP-MS for PGE and Au. The PGE and Au contents of the silicate fractions of samples collected from mineralised layers were significantly depleted relative to the PGE and Au contents of silicate fractions of samples collected from a non-mineralised layer. Verification of the ICP-MS method for the determination of Pd was carried out by means of DCP-AES. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to verify the method for Au and Ir.

Biology of the Silver Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon unicuspis, in Green Bay and the Lower Fox River, with a Comparison to the Sea Lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

We present data on upstream migrant silver lampreys trapped in the Fox River (1979-1993) and on parasitic-phase lampreys obtained from the commercial fishery in Green Bay (1988-1991). Upstream migrants were trapped most frequently from mid-April to mid-May, but mean date of capture varied significantly among years. Mean water temperature at time of capture also varied significantly among years, and several analyses suggested that lampreys were captured earlier in warmer years. Within years, catches of individual silver lampreys were clumped nonrandomly in time. Mean date of capture did not differ between males and females. Females were significantly longer and heavier than males. Preserved silver lampreys shrank significantly in total length and biomass, and mass-length regressions for preserved lampreys had significantly higher intercepts than those for living animals. Parasitic-phase silver lampreys were collected together with wounded yellow perch (Percaflavescens), white suckers (Catostomus commersoni), and burbot (Lota lota) at depths of 6-12 m along the western shore of Green Bay. The parasitic phase is apparently confined largely to Green Bay proper, and available evidence suggests that the Green Bay population is at least somewhat subdivided geographically. Silver lampreys and sea lampreys coexist in Green Bay, where both species achieve relatively large body size. In addition, recent sex ratios in both species are skewed in favor of females, and females reach greater adult size than males. Unlike sea lampreys, which achieve much of their growth during the fall, parasitic-phase silver lampreys grow primarily during the summer.

Long-Term Simulation of PCB Export from the Fox River to Green Bay

A mass balance approach was used to model long-term PCB transport in the Fox River (Wisconsin) from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay. The objectives of this research were to (1) extend the modeling approach for the Fox River to permit realistic long-term simulations of contaminant transport and fate, (2) forecast long-term PCB export from the Fox River to Green Bay, and (3) develop a rational approach for evaluating sediment remediation alternatives. Field data collected as part of the Green Bay Mass Balance Study during 1988-90 and additional data collected by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Geological Survey during 1992-93 were used to develop the model. A 10-year hindcast was conducted to confirm long-term model predictions. A series of 25-year forecasts were then conducted to explore the potential effects of hydrograph structure, extremely high flows, and sediment remediation on long-term PCB export from the Fox River to Green Bay. PCB export from the Fox River is forecast to decrease, and most (75%) of the PCB reservoir in Fox River sediment is expected to remain in place. However, extremely high flows in future years are forecast to cause significant PCB resuspension and export. Model forecasts suggest that long-term PCB export is only mildly sensitive to changes in hydrograph structure. Sediment remediation is forecast to reduce but not eliminate PCB export.

Resuspension Properties of Sediments from the Fox, Saginaw, and Buffalo Rivers

The resuspension properties of sediments from the Fox, Saginaw, and Buffalo rivers were investigated by means of laboratory experiments and field measurements. In this work, an annular flume and a portable resuspension device (Shaker) were used. The advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of these devices are discussed. By a combination of laboratory and field tests, the resuspension properties of undisturbed sediments in each of these three rivers were approximately determined as a function of shear stress and time after deposition. The results show distinct and quantifiable differences in resuspension properties between sediments in each of the rivers and between muddy and sandy sediments within a river. For each type of sediment in a particular river, the resuspension data can be approximated by a simple equation.

Growth, Survival, and Vulnerability to Angling of Three Wild Brook Trout Strains Exposed to Different Levels of Angler Exploitation

Abstract It has been suggested that the genetic growth potential of trout may be degraded over time by differential angler harvest of the faster-growing fish of each cohort. To test this hypothesis, young-of-the-year wild brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from two branches of the Au Sable River and from the East Branch of the Fox River were stocked in three experimental Michigan lakes to determine their relative 2-year growth and survival. Brook trout populations from the Au Sable River are believed to have been exploited more intensively than the population from the East Branch of the Fox River. We found that brook trout from the East Branch Fox River grew significantly faster than fish from either the North Branch or the mainstream Au Sable River. The superior growth of East Branch Fox River brook trout was most evident in Hemlock Lake, where all strains grew best. Mature males were significantly longer and heavier than mature females when data were pooled across strains for each lake, East Branch Fox R...

Prediction of bioaccumulation of metals from contaminated sediments by the oligochaete, lumbriculus variegatus

Short-term tests with benthic species have shown that certain cationic metals (cadmium, nickel, lead, zinc, copper) in sediments are not bioavailable when acid volatile sulfide (AVS) concentrations are sufficient to bind the metals, and/or when concentrations of metals in the sediment pore water are small. It was uncertain, however, whether a similar lack of bioavailability could be predicted when evaluating metal bioaccumulation in long-term exposures. In this study, we exposed the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus to sediments from the lower Fox River, Wisconsin, which contained elevated concentrations of metals. Based on solid-phase metal and AVS measurements, or pore water metal concentrations, metals in the sediments were predicted to be of minimal biological availability. After a 30 day exposure to the test sediments, L. variegatus contained concentrations of metals not significantly greater than those in control oligochaetes exposed only to Lake Superior water. This indicates that metal bioavailability models based on sediment AVS content and/or pore water concentrations may be valid for long-term as well as short-term exposures of benthic species.

Development of a Mass Balance Model for Estimating PCB Export from the Lower Fox River to Green Bay

A mass balance approach was used to model contaminant cycling in the lower Fox River from the DePere Dam to Green Bay. The objectives of this research were 1) to estimate present contaminant export from the Fox River to Green Bay, and 2) to quantify contaminant transport and fate pathways in the lower river for the study period. Specifically, a model describing the transport, fate, and export of chlorides, total suspended solids, total PCBs, and six PCB congeners for the lower Fox River was developed. Field data collected as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Bay Mass Balance Study were used to calibrate the model. From 10 October 1988 to 31 May 1990, the estimated total PCB export was 423 kg; for calendar year 1989, the estimate was 280 kg. Model results suggest that the transport of in-place pollutants significantly contributed to the cumulative export of total PCBs over this period. Estimated total PCB transport in the Fox River during 1989 increased 60% between the dam and river mouth due to the resuspension of lower river sediments. Total suspended solids and PCB predictions are most sensitive to particle transport parameters, particularly the settling and resuspension velocities. The significant components of the total PCB mass balance are import (loading over the DePere Dam), settling, resuspension, and export to Green Bay. Volatilization, porewater transport, and point source input were not significant to the mass balance. Present point source discharges to the river are not significant total PCB sources, collectively contributing less than 6 kg of PCB to the river during the mass balance period.

Estimation of covariance matrix from geochemical data with observations below detection limits

Multivariate statistical analyses have been extensively applied to geochemical measurements to analyze and aid interpretation of the data. Estimation of the covariance matrix of multivariate observations is the first task in multivariate analysis. However, geochemical data for the rare elements, especially Ag, Au, and platinum-group elements, usually contain observations the below detection limits. In particular, Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) for the rare elements produces multilevel and possibly extremely high detection limits depending on the sample weight. Traditionally, in applying multivariate analysis to such incomplete data, the observations below detection limits are first substituted, for example, each observation below the detection limit is replaced by a certain percentage of that limit, and then the standard statistical computer packages or techniques are used to obtain the analysis of the data. If a number of samples with observations below detection limits is small, or the detection limits are relatively near zero, the results may be reasonable and most geological interpretations or conclusions are probably valid. In this paper, a new method is proposed to estimate the covariance matrix from a dataset containing observations below multilevel detection limits by using the marginal maximum likelihood estimation (MMLE) method. For each pair of variables, sayY andZ whose observations containing below detection limits, the proposed method consists of three steps: (i) for each variable separately obtaining the marginal MLE for the means and the variances,\(\widetilde{\widetilde\mu }_Y \),\(\widetilde{\widetilde\mu }_Z \),\(\widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{YY} \), and\(\widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{ZZ} \) forY andZ: (ii) defining new variables by\(C = (Y - \widetilde{\widetilde\mu }_Y )/\sqrt {\widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{YY} } \) and\(D = (Z - \widetilde{\widetilde\mu }_Z )/\sqrt {\widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{ZZ} } \) and lettingA=C+D andB=C−D, and obtaining MLE for variances,\(\widetilde\sigma _ + \) and\(\widetilde\sigma _ - \) forA andB; (iii) estimating the correlation coefficient ϱYZ by\(\widetilde\rho _{YZ} = (\widetilde\sigma _ + - \widetilde\sigma _ - )/(\widetilde\sigma _ + + \widetilde\sigma _ - )\) and the covariance σYZ by\(\widetilde\sigma _{YZ} = \bar \rho _{YZ} \sqrt {\widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{YY} \widetilde{\widetilde\sigma }_{YY} .} \). The procedure is illustrated by using a precious metal geochemical data set from the Fox River Sill, Manitoba, Canada.

Uptake of planar polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dibenzo-p-dioxins by birds nesting in the lower fox river and Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA

The uptake of persistent polychlorinated hydrocarbons (PCHs) by four avian species was investigated at upper trophic levels of two aquatic food chains of the lower Fox River and Green Bay, Wisconsin. Accumulation of total and specific planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDDs), and H411E rat hepatoma cell bioassay-derived 2,37,8-tetrachlorodibenzop-dioxin equivalents (TCDD-EQ) was evaluated in Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri) and common tern (Sterna hirundo) chicks, and in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) and red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) nestlings from colonies nesting in several locations within the watershed. Concentrations of the PCHs were greatest in eggs and chicks of the two tern species, less in the tree swallows and least in the red-winged blackbirds. Young of all four species accumulated total PCBs, PCB congeners 77, 105, 126, and 169, and TCDD-EQ. The young birds also accumulated small concentrations of several 2,3,7,8-sbustituted PCDF and PCDD congeners. Uptake rates for certain of the PCHs for the Forster's tern chicks were: 15 μg/day for total PCBs, 70, 200, 6.5, and 0.14 ng/day for PCB congeners 77, 105, 126, and 169, respectively, and 270 μg/day for TCDD-EQ. Principal components analysis revealed that the patterns of PCH concentrations in the samples were influenced by species of bird, their age (or length of exposure) and nesting location. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that exposure of avian species to contaminants derived from aquatic food chains can be characterized and quantified for the purposes of ecological risk assessment.

Sediment pore water toxicity identification in the lower fox river and Green Bay, Wisconsin, using the microtox assay

Microtox assays with two different methods of osmotic adjustment were used to assess the toxicity of pore waters from 13 sediment samples collected from the Fox River watershed in Wisconsin. No toxicity was observed in Microtox assays osmotically adjusted with NaCl; however, 15-min EC 50 values for assays osmotically adjusted with sucrose ranged from 52 to 63% pore water. Un-ionized ammonia accounted for a large part of the observed toxicity, but, based on a toxic units approach, did not account for all observed toxicity. Metals (Cu, Zn) and an unidentified compound(s) may potentially contribute to the observed effects in Microtox assays osmotically adjusted with sucrose. The use of alternative osmotic adjustment techniques in the Microtox assay is one potentially useful tool for elucidating several classes of compounds responsible for effects observed in toxicity assays.

Integrated assessment of contaminated sediments in the lower Fox River and Green Bay, Wisconsin

Samples of sediment and biota were collected from sites in the lower Fox River and southern Green Bay to determine existing or potential impacts of sediment-associated contaminants on different ecosystem components of this Great Lakes area of concern. Evaluation of benthos revealed a relatively depauperate community, particularly at the lower Fox River sites. Sediment pore water and bulk sediments from several lower Fox River sites were toxic to a number of test species including Pimephales promelas, Ceriodaphnia dubia, Hexagenia limbata, Selenastrum capricornutum, and Photobacterium phosphorum. An important component of the observed toxicity appeared to be due to ammonia. Evaluation of three bullhead ( Ictalurus) species from the lower Fox River revealed an absence of preneoplastic or neoplastic liver lesions, and the Salmonella typhimurium bioassay indicated relatively little mutagenicity in sediment extracts. Apparent adverse reproductive effects were noted in two species of birds nesting along the lower Fox River and on a confined disposal facility for sediments near the mouth of the river, and there were measurable concentrations of potentially toxic 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) both in the birds and in sediments from several of the study sites. Based on toxic equivalency factors and the results of an in vitro bioassay with H4IIE rat hepatoma cells, it appeared that the majority of potential toxicity of the PCB/PCDF/PCDD mixture in biota from the lower Fox River/Green Bay system was due to the planar PCBs. The results of these studies are discussed in terms of an integrated assessment focused on providing data for remedial action planning.

Public perceptions and attitudes toward environmental rehabilitation of the lower green bay watershed

Abstract Under the terms of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada, remedial action plans (RAPs) must be prepared for 42 areas of concern along the shores of the Great Lakes. A plan for the environmental rehabilitation of the Upper Fox River and Lower Green Bay of Lake Michigan was one of the first such plans prepared. The Green Bay Remedial Action Plan is often cited as one of the more complete and appropriate among RAPs submitted to date. This article examines public perceptions and attitudes toward the Green Bay RAP using survey methods. The survey found the public poorly informed about the RAP but widely supportive of the action items in the plan. Further, the survey found the public unwilling to create a new agency to implement the RAP. Implementation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was favored instead. Finally, the survey found few and usually small, but some potentially important, differences in attitudes and perceptions between recreational us...

Great Lakes River‐Estuary Hydrodynamic Finite Element Model

A deterministic hydrodynamic model for simulating the water flow in a well‐mixed freshwater estuary is developed for the purpose of long‐term environmental flow simulation. The hydrodynamic simulation is based on solving the shallow‐water equations using the finite element method. The Galerkin approach to the finite element method is applied to approximate the spatial variables. A leapfrog scheme is used to evaluate the temporal terms of the unsteady‐state hydrodynamic equation. The combined numerical scheme has proven to be an efficient and conditionally stable method suitable for long‐term, real‐time simulation. The numerical method is verified with a set of analytical solutions for various geometric channel configurations. In addition, the model has been applied in the lower Green Bay and Fox River system in Lake Michigan using an extensive set of field data measured specifically for calibration and confirmation purposes.

A Radiotelemetric Study of Activity and Movements of the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingi) in Northeastern Illinois

A Radiotelemetric Study of Activity and Movements of the Blanding's Turtle (Emydoidea blandingi) in Northeastern Illinois

Tumor Frequencies in Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) and Brown Bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus) and Sediment Contaminants in Tributaries of the Laurentian Great Lakes

To better characterize neoplasm epizootics in the Great Lakes basin and their association with families of contaminants, we sampled five locations: the Fox and Menominee rivers, Lake Michigan; Munuscong Lake, St. Mary's River; and the Black and Cuyahoga rivers, Lake Erie. Frequencies of external and liver tumors were determined for brown bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus) from all locations except the Black River and for walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) from the Lake Michigan and St. Mary's River sites. Sediment samples were analyzed for metals, polychlorinated aromatics, and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Liver neoplasms occurred in brown bullhead from the Cuyahoga River and Munuscong Lake; brown bullhead captured from Munuscong Lake were older than those collected from the other locations. Brown bullhead from these same two rivers had elevated hepatosomatic indexes. No liver neoplasms were found in brown bullhead from the Fox and Menominee rivers, although polychlorinated aromatics were highest in both Fox River sediment and Fox and Menominee brown bullhead, and arsenic was highest in Menominee River sediment and fish. Liver neoplasms in brown bullhead from the Cuyahoga River fit the prevailing hypothesis that elevated PAH in sediment can induce cancer in wild fish. The cause of the liver neoplasms in Munuscong Lake brown bullhead is undetermined.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Dated Sediment Cores from Green Bay and Lake Michigan

Ten sediment cores from Lake Michigan and Green Bay are analyzed for PCB, 2l0Pb, and l37Cs. Analyses include identification of historical patterns of PCB inputs to the lake and bay and estimation of historical annual average PCB fluxes to the sediment that are corrected for sediment redistribution (focus correction). A correction for focusing has not been utilized in previous investigations of PCB flux to Lake Michigan and Green Bay sediments. From these analyses, we conclude that PCB inputs have declined following the 1977 ban on new uses of PCB, and that the atmosphere is the largest source of PCB to parts of Lake Michigan. We estimate that the average annual atmospheric PCB flux to the Lake Michigan region is about 1.0 ng/cm 2/yr, + /- 0.34, which is the approximate flux to three of our five Lake Michigan cores. This amount is consistent with another recent flux estimate. Green Bay sediments have higher PCB concentrations and greater relative amounts of lower molecular weight PCB (Aroclor 1242) than lake sediments which are dominated by Aroclor 1254. Aroclor 1260 is also found in Green Bay but not observed in the lake. PCB concentrations in Green Bay sediment are highest near the mouth of the Fox River, and decline in areas of the bay where the Fox River plume is more dispersed. Atmospheric inputs account for no more than 11% of PCB flux to any Green Bay core we analyzed.

Transport of Suspended Solids in the Lower Fox River

The general purpose of the present study was to study the transport of the sediments and associated contaminants in the lower Fox River and from the Fox into Green Bay. For this reason, a numerical model of the transport and fate of suspended solids in the lower Fox River has been developed and verified. The model consists of a two-dimensional, vertically-integrated, time-dependent hydrodynamic and transport model coupled with a three-dimensional, time-dependent model of the sediment bed and its properties. Settling speeds and sediment resuspension parameters needed in the model were determined from laboratory and field tests. In the description of the transport of suspended solids, three components of solids are considered, i.e., fine (zero settling speed), medium (moderate settling speed affected by flocculation), and coarse (large settling speed). It is assumed that the sediment bed is layered in the vertical direction. The properties of each layer depend on time after deposition (and therefore with depth) and composition (relative fractions of medium and coarse sediments), and the number of layers and their thicknesses can be arbitrarily specified at the beginning of the calculation. The thickness of the surface layer changes with time depending on the rates of resuspension and deposition. Calculations were made for steady flows at high, medium, and low flow rates as well as for real, time-varying flow events. In particular, two flow events were modeled in detail, the first from 22 May to 20 June 1989 (this included a once in a 10 year high flow as well as moderate to low flows) and the second from 24 March to 10 April 1989. For these events, calculated sediments concentrations at the river mouth were compared with observations. Good agreement between the calculations and observations was obtained, thereby validating the model and the description of the physical processes implied in the modeling. In particular, the presence and effect of an easily resuspendable surficial layer was demonstrated.

Existence of a marginal basin within the Circum-Superior Belt: geochemical evidence from the Churchill-Superior boundary in Manitoba, Canada

Mafic volcanic rocks incorporated within the Churchill-Superior Boundary Zone at Ospwagan Lake, Moak Lake, Assean Lake and the Fox River Belt constitute part of the Circum-Superior Belt. Major and trace element data have been obtained from mafic and ultramafic volcanic rocks from four localities. The data provide a means of comparing and contrasting the geochemistry of the rocks from the portion of the Circum-Superior Belt surrounding the Archean Superior Province in Manitoba with other units from elsewhere in the belt, and with rocks from the adjacent Proterozoic Churchill Province. Major element geochemical data are consistent with the rocks having originally formed in a oceanic environment. Trace element and rare earth element data suggest that the environment was a marginal basin. Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratios indicate that the magmas were derived from a mantle source by small degrees of partial melting. High field strength element patterns show that the mantle source region giving rise to the rocks was relatively uniform in composition. Trace element, mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) and chondrite-normalized patterns indicate similarities in alkali element enrichment for the rocks at Asean and Ospwagan Lakes. Virtually all the rocks have Ti, Zr, Nb, Y and P levels < MORB, which is consistent with the mantle source region having undergone a small degree of partial melting. Zr/P ratios for the rocks from the Fox River Belt are consistently lower than those from the other localities, and the Assean Lake rocks show slight enrichment in light rare earth elements, which may suggest local compositional variability in the mantle source regions supplying the magmas to the Fox River Belt and the Ospwagan, Assean and Moak Lake areas.