54 



sediment grains ( > 63 ^m - no clay/silt fraction) in the upper zone varied from very fine to 

 medium gray sand, whereas the outer region displayed only coarse sand. As expected, the 

 grain size in the middle zone varied from very fine to coarse sand. 



The mean abundances for the mineralogical and biological components of sediment 

 cores illustrated the traceable differences between the three zones of the river (Figure 4-1; 

 Table 4-2). In Table 4-2, occurrence data are color-coded in order to show overall trends 

 in each parameter. The mean abundance of all of the components ranged from none to 

 rare in the upper reach, except for plant fragments that were rare to common in the upper 

 and middle reaches and non-existent in the outer reach. Benthic and planktonic diatoms 

 were present in the upper region only, but were rare (RR-8 only). Only two components 

 were present, but rare, in all three reaches of the river: black porous material and shell 

 fragments. 



Table 4-1 



Core Fraction Results from the Royal River Survey 











General 



Description 





Total 



Interval 









Core 



Length 



Sampled 









Name 



(cm) 



(cm) 



Weight (g 



Primary Component 



Secondary Component 



RR-7 



117 



70-75 



1 



Organic debris (wood/plants) 



Carbonized wood, sand 



RR-8 



118 



33-38 



24 



Wood fragments 





RR-10 



189 



142-147 



15 



Wood fragments 





RR-12 



195 



20-25 



8 



Carbonized wood 



Wood/plant fragments 



RR-15 



98 



22-27 



82 



Sand 



Carbonized wood, small shell fragment 



RR-18 



114 



49-54 



1 



Wood/plant fragments 



Shell fragments, carbonized wood 



RR-21 



176 



30-35 



43 



Sand, gravel 



Shell fragments, (mussel and others) 



RR-22 



194 



45-50 



11 



Carbonized wood 



Shell fragments, (mussel and others) 



RR-26 



173 



42-47 



<1 



Shell fragments (mussel) 



Carbonized wood, wood/plant fragment 



RR-28 



176 



20-25 



8.5 



Wood/plant fragments 



Shell fragments, carbonized wood 



RR-29 



194 



35-40 



<1 



Wood/plant fragments 



Sand, shell fragments 



Sand is predominantly well-rounded mineral fragments (quartz, metamorphic minerals). 



The outer reach of the river had a common to abundant occurrence of fibrous 

 minerals, with a rare to common occurrence of black porous material, flyash, molluscan 

 shell fragments, and texmred ostracods (Figure 4-1). Based on visual inspection only, the 

 purple and white fibrous minerals were probably namrally occurring chrysotile asbestos. 

 Bryozoan fragments were rare to common, and occurred only in the outer reaches of the 

 Royal River. 



The Portland Disposal Site Capping Demonstration Project, 1995-1997 



