|
.ere}. }... a yb a •"-N:.',.:71-..e...,„‘'... i.: _- ,*' fr y
<br /> • �X ',.., •k-.4,',c j:.ya y� K fKz.„!.. ! .-,ma a• .'• -'6�,��S. '..•,�' ?
<br /> A -7q"' t4 `�F�' r " flSF• ' `12- , ,.- � •" .
<br /> y.,�. T , s y-.
<br /> 1...,;.6,,. Tr1' �'
<br /> .. kms ,`--', r. '''1 ~t. T*- T �,}.glgzz,,. G .- *;',`, ?c,'
<br /> PAUL CARTER/The RevsterGuard
<br /> A cyclist rides along the Amazon channel in west Eugene.A new study confirms the waterway is severely polluted.
<br /> CHANNEL Continued from Page One
<br /> contaminants into the storm sewer sys- The samples also contained zon channel at levels that exceed fed-
<br /> tem.The sewers empty into the chap- measurable concentrations of a vane- eral guidelines for protection of fish,
<br /> nel. ty of pesticides and petroleum by- Diazinon is a bug killer commonly
<br /> Some of the pollution comes from products,including DDT.2,4-D,2,4,5-T, used around the house and garden.
<br /> improper discharges into the channel diazinon, PCBs, pentachlorophenol, • Concentrations of PCBs in the
<br /> by businesses and from sanitary napthalene and pyrene. channel at West 15th Avenue and Mad-
<br /> sewers inadvertently hooked up to the Samples were taken during the ison Street exceeded proposed state
<br /> storm sewer system,she said. summer of 1990 by the Geological Sur- environmental safety guidelines.PCBs,
<br /> For example, some businesses vey, which is engaged in a long-term or polychlorinated biphenyls,are can-
<br /> were found to have carelessly stored study of pollution in the Willamette cer-causing oil byproducts once used
<br /> drums of chemicals outside, allowing River basin.Some sites were retested as a fire retardant. They are banned
<br /> residues to be washed into the channel in 1993 and yielded similar results. now.
<br /> during heavy rains. Money from the city and from the While they may appear disturbing
<br /> The pollution levels described in Lane Council of Governments helped at first glance,the findings"were not
<br /> the report probably don't merit the support the study. unexpected,"said Frank Rinella,a wa-
<br /> y ter resources investigator with the
<br /> posting of warning signs along the Researchers from the federal Geological Survey who wrote the re-
<br /> canal,which sometimes gets used as a agency took samples from 12 sites port.
<br /> wading stream or as an outdoor class- along the Amazon channel and a
<br /> room by schoolchildren,Evans said. branch of the creek near Fern Ridge "This information is pretty well
<br /> Evans said she is not concerned Reservoir known as the A-3 channel. known to the DEQ already," Rinella
<br /> about Amazon pollutants affecting The sampling began just south of Ama- said. Other reports have shown pollu-
<br /> Fern Ridge Reservoir,a popular fish- zon Park and continued downstream at tion problems in the Amazon channel,
<br /> regular intervals. although none have been this exten-
<br /> sive.
<br /> ing and boating spot. The chemicals re g "This was a little more in-depth,"
<br /> are diluted to non-toxic levels when Only the top one to two centimeters he said.
<br /> they enter the 9,340-acre body, she of bottom
<br /> sediment were sampled.All The report could represent a
<br /> said. the samples were analyzed in a USGS
<br /> set-
<br /> "I don't think these findings are laboratory in Denver. back to ongoing plans to enhance Ama-
<br /> thatzon channel as a scenic urban water-
<br /> charges,"unique Evans in terms"You urban dist Among the report's more disturb- way. In recent years, city officials,
<br /> taad go, 'Well, look sortt that in results were: University of Oregon landscape archi-
<br /> tects and environmental organizations
<br /> what w•'ve been telling people — have suggested projects to turn the
<br /> we've of roblems.— •• Pyrene,a petroleum compound,
<br /> g p was found in the A-3 channel at levels canal into a more inviting place for
<br /> • ..added: "I don't mean to that surpass guidelines established by picnicking,wading and even boating.
<br /> downplay the importance of these the U.S. Environmental Protection
<br /> findings. They are serious. The city'sAgency to protect humans from known "Over the long-term. the concerns
<br /> going to be working with the DEQ tocancer risks, of risk to human health may become
<br /> find out the implications of the re- greater as the west Eugene wetlands
<br /> port" • Pentachlorophenol, a wood plan unfolds," said Toni Bingham, an
<br /> Sediment and water samples taken preservative linked to cancer, was
<br /> LCOG wetlands planner.
<br /> from the channel turned up elevated found in the A-3 channel at levels that Part of the Eugene wetland's plan
<br /> concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, pose a risk to fresh water aquatic life, calls for turning the lower end of the
<br /> chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, man- according to EPA standards. canal into a wettheand and encouraging
<br /> of
<br /> ganese, mercury, nickel and zinc, to
<br /> name only some of the metals detect- • The insecticide diazinon was people to recreate there, Bingham
<br /> ed.
<br /> found in various sites along the Ama- said.
<br />
|