| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
Teck Coal Ltd. (Teck) operates five coal mines within the Elk River Valley of the Columbia River Basin in southeastern British Columbia: Fording River Operations (FRO), Greenhills Operations (GHO), Line Creek Operations (LCO), Elkview Operations (EVO), and Coal Mountain Operations (CMO). The coal-bearing rock formations also contain selenium, which is released during weathering of mine waste rock. In the late 1990s, elevated aqueous selenium concentrations were noted in the Elk River downstream of the mines and subsequent analyses of water concentrations have shown that concentrations have been increasing over time. Selenium is taken up from water by algae and other microorganisms and then transferred up the food chain to aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. It is an essential element for the health of plants and animals, but it can become toxic at elevated concentrations, particularly to egg-laying animals. This study was implemented in 2009 as a follow-up to a similar one conducted in 2006, to evaluate the status of selenium concentrations throughout the Elk River watershed. This included evaluation of routine water quality and flow monitoring data collected by the mines for the period 2007-09, as well as collection and analysis of biota in 2009, to compare selenium concentrations to those observed in the past. Food web; Food chain models; Spotted Frogs; Red-winged Blackbirds |
