WATER QUALITY STUDIES IN TEE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN 



Robert 0. Sylvester 

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CONTENTS 



Page 



Abstract • 1 



Introduction 1 



Causes of vater quality change 2 



ColuBbia River Basin • • • ^ 



Procedure 7 



Collected data 10 



Water quality effects on fishes 11 



Field sampling and euiedytical procedures - sampling stations . Ik 



Sampling stations - their selection and location l6 



Water quality changes with storage of samples 19 



Reliability of water quality data 31 



Present status of vater quality - Columbia River Basin .... 33 



Monthly changes In river temperature kl 



Noimal river vater temperature changes vith distance ^2 



Diurnal vater temperature variations 3^ 



Effect of existing reservoirs on dovnstream vater 



temperatures 60 



Water quality conparlsons, 1910-11 to 1952-56 6? 



Yakima River, irrigation and pollutional effects 87 



DoBiestic sevage and industrial vaste discharge 90 



Prediction of future vater quality 97 



Acknovledgments 100 



Bibliography 101 



Appendix 104-131* 



A. Columbia River Basin, reservoii>s, present and 



proposed lO^f 



B. Summary of present vater quality lOd 



C Monthly averages of present vater quality 115 



