Crayfish harvesting advisory at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River

March 1, 2002

Media Contact: Bonnie Widerburg, 503-731-4180

Technical Contacts: Ken Kauffman, (503) 731-4015

Public health officials at the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) are advising the public of elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCB's, in crayfish and freshwater clams living in the Columbia River immediately above Bonneville Dam.

 

It is believed that electrical equipment buried in that area has contaminated the soil and sediments in a localized area just above the dam. This has produced dangerously high levels of PCB's in the tissue of clams and crayfish there, according to Ken Kauffman, environmental health specialist in DHS.

 

DHS has notified all commercial crayfish harvesters on the Columbia River to avoid harvesting crayfish between Bonneville Dam and the mouth of Ruckel Creek, which is upstream of the dam. The advisory is to continue until further notice. Assessment of the contamination and cleanup are expected to take a year or longer.

 

Sport fishermen and food collectors are advised to avoid catching or eating clams, crayfish or other bottom-dwelling organisms between the dam and Ruckel Creek at mile-post 147, which is about one mile above the dam, Kauffman said.

 

"PCB's are commonly found in fish and other aquatic organisms, but the levels found here are far above what is considered normal or background levels," said Kauffman. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are assessing the contamination to determine how widespread it is and how cleanup can best be accomplished, he said.

 

This advisory applies only to a small area above Bonneville Dam, and it does not remove or alter the existing fish consumption advisory that applies to the entire lower Columbia River. That advisory can be found on the Web www.healthoregon.org/fishadv/index.cfmor by calling Ken Kauffman, (503) 731-4015.