4.7 Article

Urban Roadway Runoff Is Lethal to Juvenile Coho, Steelhead, and Chinook Salmonids, But Not Congeneric Sockeye

Journal

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
Volume 9, Issue 9, Pages 733-738

Publisher

AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.2c00467

Keywords

urbanization; stormwater; endangered species; Oncorhynchus; microplastics; 6PPD-quinone; urban runoff mortality syndrome; tire wear particles

Funding

  1. Alice C. Tyler Trust
  2. Governor of Washington State [DW-014092437301]
  3. USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Seattle Public Utilities
  4. EPA Interagency [1015288]
  5. [NI19MSCFRXXXG034]

Ask authors/readers for more resources

This study compared the sensitivity of Pacific salmon and steelhead to untreated urban stormwater runoff. The results showed that coho were highly susceptible to runoff toxicity, while juvenile sockeye were unaffected. The mortality rates were intermediate for steelhead and Chinook. Additionally, significant mortality occurred in coho even when roadway runoff was diluted by 95% in clean water. Further sublethal studies are needed to understand the stormwater risks to threatened species recovery efforts.
We compared the sensitivity of closely related Pacific salmon and steelhead (Oncorhynchus spp.) to untreated urban stormwater runoff across three storm events. Juvenile coho, sockeye, steelhead, and Chinook were exposed for 24 h to untreated urban runoff and then transferred to clean water for 48 h. As anticipated from previous studies, coho were highly susceptible to runoff toxicity, with cumulative mortality rates ranging from 92%-100% across the three storms. By contrast, juvenile sockeye were unaffected (100% survival), and cumulative mortality rates were intermediate for steelhead (4%-42%) and Chinook (0%-13%). Furthermore, coho died rapidly following the onset of stormwater exposure (generally < 4 h), whereas mortality in Chinook and steelhead was delayed by 1-2 days. Similar to previous findings for coho, steelhead and Chinook did not recover when transferred to clean water. Lastly, significant mortality occurred in coho even when roadway runoff was diluted by 95% in clean water. Our findings extend the urban runoff mortality syndrome in salmonids and point to a near-term need for sublethal studies in steelhead and Chinook to more precisely understand stormwater risks to threatened species recovery efforts in the western United States.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.7
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

No Data Available
No Data Available