Development and Research: Diurnal Metal Variations in Streams Photo Gallery

Development and Research: Diurnal Metal Variations in Streams

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A field experiment conducted in August 2005 that compared the survival of trout fry (newly hatched fish) exposed to constant versus varying metal concentrations, Dry Fork Belt Creek, Mont. Water stored in the streamside tanks was used to periodically refresh the water in the plastic containers in the stream. Water in the tanks had high, medium, or low metal concentrations. The fourth tank contained metal-free water used for the experimental control. The most upstream group of containers (at bottom of photo) were perforated so that metal concentrations in these containers would fluctuate as they do in the stream

An abandoned mine site on Galena Creek in the Barker mining district in central Montana. Galena Creek is a tributary to Dry Fork Belt Creek, and is the main source of the dissolved metals in Dry Fork Belt Creek. Dry Fork Belt Creek was the site of experiments that investigated the effects of diel cycling of dissolved metals on the toxicity of metals to fish

Field experiment designed to compare survival of trout fry (newly hatched fish) exposed to constant versus varying metal concentrations, High Ore Creek, Mont. Water stored in the streamside tanks was used to refresh plastic containers in the stream. Water in the tanks had high, medium, or low metal concentrations. The fourth tank contained metal-free water used as an experimental control

Scientists checking fish held in plastic containers that were exposed to a constant metal concentration as part of a field experiment to compare survival of trout fry (newly hatched fish) exposed to constant versus varying metal concentrations, High Ore Creek, Mont.

Fish held in flow-through containers are exposed to metal concentrations with daily high and low cycles (diel cycles). Scientists conducted a field experiment to compare survival of newly hatched trout (fry) exposed to constant versus varying metal concentrations, High Ore Creek, Mont. The experiment will help scientists understand the effect of diel variations in the concentration of metals on fish in mining effected areas

This greenish-brown slime found on cobbles of the streambed in High Ore Creek, Mont., is a biofilm. USGS scientists and their colleagues have demonstrated that biofilms can create daily variations in the concentrations of dissolved metals in mining-affected stream waters

Results of a 54.5-hour field experiment conducted on the banks of High Ore Creek, Mont., during August 2002. Biofilm material grown in zinc-free water in a laboratory was placed in a streamside aquarium. Filtered stream water was then pumped through the aquarium, and the aquarium was exposed to natural sunlight. The graph shows the cycling of zinc concentrations measured in water (red triangles) and the biofilm (blue circles) in the aquarium. The graph is a modified version of figure 3 from Morris and others, 2005

Colleagues from the University of Wyoming used microelectrodes to measure the pH and dissolved zinc concentrations within biofilm grown in a laboratory aquarium. In this view, one can see the microelectrodes (glass tubes) sticking into a biofilm sample. The results of this work documented that when exposed to light, the biofilm absorbs zinc. Used with permission from Dr. Jeffrey M. Morris, Western Research Institute

A scanning electron microscope photograph of individual algae cells that form biofilms on rocks in some mining impacted streams. Biofilms are typically composed of several types of algae along with microscopic bacteria and fungi. When exposed to light, zinc is absorbed to the surface of the algae cells. Used with permission from Dr. Jeffrey M. Morris, Western Research Institute

The sampling site for investigating daily variations in mercury concentrations in the Madison River, Yellowstone National Park, Montana. A mobile water-quality laboratory and the gage house for a USGS streamflow station are shown on the far bank

Looking downstream at the sampling site for investigating daily variations in mercury concentrations, Madison River, Yellowstone National Park, Montana. Tubing was suspended from fence posts so water samples from the river could be pumped to a mobile laboratory

Daily variations in mercury concentrations in Silver Creek, Montana. Concentrations of methyl mercury showed the greatest variation. Concentrations are in nanograms per liter (ng/L)

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More Information

References

Chapin, T.P., Nimick, D.A., Gammons, C.H., and Wanty, R.B., 2007, Diel cycling of zinc in a stream impacted by acid rock drainage--Initial results from a new in situ Zn analyzer: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, v. 133, no. 1-3, p. 161-167, doi:10.1007/s10661-006-9569-y.

Gammons, C.H., Grant, T.M., Nimick, D.A., Parker, S.R., and DeGrandpre, M.D., 2007, Diel changes in water chemistry in an arsenic-rich stream and treatment-pond system: Science of the Total Environment, v. 384, no. 1-3, p. 433-451, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.06.029.

Gammons, C.H., Milodragovich, L., and Belanger-Woods, J., 2007, Influence of diurnal cycles on metal concentrations and loads in streams draining abandoned mine lands--An example from High Ore Creek, Montana: Environmental Geology, doi:10.1007/s00254-007-0676-z (Advanced Web release).

Gammons, C.H., Nimick, D.A., Parker, S.R., Cleasby, T.E., and McCleskey, R.B., 2005, Diel behavior of iron and other heavy metals in a mountain stream with acidic to neutral pH - Fisher Creek, Montana, USA: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 69, no. 10, p. 2505-2516, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2004.11.020.

Gammons, C.H., Shope, C.L., and Duaime, T.E., 2005, A 24 h investigation of the hydrogeochemistry of baseflow and stormwater in an urban area impacted by mining--Butte, Montana: Hydrological Processes, v. 19, no. 14, p. 2737-2753, doi:10.1002/hyp.5783.

Gammons, C.H., Woods, S.A., and Nimick, D.A., 2005, Diel behavior of rare earth elements in a mountain stream with acidic to neutral pH: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 69, no. 15, p. 3747-3758, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2005.03.019.

Jones, C.A., Nimick, D.A., and McCleskey, R.B., 2004, Relative effect of temperature and pH on diel cycling of dissolved trace elements in Prickly Pear Creek, Montana: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 153, no. 1-4, p. 95-113.

Lambing, J.H., Nimick, D.A., and Cleasby, T.E., 2004, Short-term variation of trace-element concentrations during base flow and rainfall runoff in small basins, August 1999, in Nimick, D.A., Church, S.E., and Finger, S.E., eds., Integrated investigations of environmental effects of historical mining in the Basin and Boulder Mining Districts, Boulder River watershed, Jefferson County, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1652-D7, p. 263-278.

Morris, J.M., Farag, A.M., Nimick, D.A., and Meyer, J.S., 2006, Light-mediated Zn uptake in photosynthetic biofilm: Hydrobiologia, v. 571, p. 361-371, doi:10.1007/s10750-006-0261-6.

Morris, J.M., and Meyer, J.S., 2006, Extracellular and intracellular uptake of zinc in a photosynthetic biofilm matrix: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 77, no. 1, p. 30-35, doi:10.1007/s00128-006-1028-5.

Morris, J.M., and Meyer, J.S., 2007, Photosynthetically mediated Zn removal from the water column in High Ore Creek, Montana: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 179, no. 1-4, p. 391-395, doi:10.1007/s11270-006-9232-9.

Morris, J.M., Nimick, D.A., Farag, A.M., and Meyer, J.S., 2005, Does biofilm contribute to diel cycling of Zn in High Ore Creek, Montana?: Biogeochemistry, v. 76, no. 2, p. 233-259, doi:10.1007/s10533-005-4774-2.

Nimick, D.A., 2003, Diurnal variation in trace-metal concentrations in streams: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 086-03, 4 p.

Nimick, D.A., Cleasby, T.E., and McCleskey, R.B., 2005, Seasonality of diel cycles of dissolved trace-metal concentrations in a Rocky Mountain stream: Environmental Geology, v. 47, no. 5, p. 603-614, doi:10.1007/s00254-004-1178-x.

Nimick, D.A., Gammons, C.H., Cleasby, T.E., Madison, J.P., Skaar, D., and Brick, C.M., 2003, Diel cycles in dissolved metal concentrations in streams--Occurrence and possible causes: Water Resources Research, v. 39, no. 9, p. HWC 2-1 to HWC 2-17, WR001571, doi:10.1029/2002WR001571.

Nimick, D.A., Harper, D.D., Farag, A.M., Cleasby, T.E., Macconnell, E., and Skaar, D., 2007, Influence of in-stream diel concentration cycles of dissolved trace metals on acute toxicity to one-year-old cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi): Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 26, no. 12, p. 2667-2678, doi:10.1897/07-265.

Nimick, D.A., McCleskey, R.B., Gammons, C.H., and Parker, S.R., 2007, Diel mercury concentration cycles in streams affected by mining and geothermal discharge: Science of the Total Environment, v. 373, no. 1, p. 344-355, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.11.008.

Parker, S.R., Gammons, C.H., Jones, C.A., and Nimick, D.A., 2007, Role of hydrous iron oxide formation in attenuation and diel cycling of dissolved trace metals in a stream affected by acid rock drainage: Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, v. 181, no. 1-4, p. 247-263, doi:10.1007/s11270-006-9297-5.

Parker, S.R., Gammons, C.H., Poulson, S.R., and DeGrandpre, M.D., 2007, Diel variations in stream chemistry and isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon, upper Clark Fork River, Montana, USA: Applied Geochemistry, v. 22, no. 7, p. 1329-1343, doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2007.02.007.

Parker, S.R., Poulson, S.R., Gammons, C.H., and DeGrandpre, M.D., 2005, Biogeochemical controls on diel cycling of stable isotopes of dissolved 02 and dissolved inorganic carbon in the Big Hole River, Montana: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 39, no. 18, p. 7134-7140, doi:10.1021/es0505595.

Shope, C.L., Xie, Y., and Gammons, C.H., 2006, The influence of hydrous Mn-Zn oxides on diel cycling of Zn in an alkaline stream draining abandoned mine lands: Applied Geochemistry, v. 21, no. 3, p. 476-491, doi:10.1016/j.apgeochem.2005.11.004.

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