Evidence of agricultural air pollution in Hell

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Evidence of agricultural air pollution in Hells
Canyon National Recreation Area Implications for
natural and cultural resources

• Linda Geiser, USDA-FS, PNW Region Air Program,
  Corvallis, OR
• Andrzej Bytnerowicz, USDA-FS, Pacific SW Research
  Station, Riverside, CA
• Anne Ingersoll, USDA-FS, PNW Region Air Program,
  Corvallis, OR
• Scott Copeland, Cooperative Institute for
  Research in the Atmosphere, Lander, WY

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The Snake River valley with its moderate climate
and abundant food resources, has long been
inhabited by humans.
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Forest Service archeologist Bruce Womak recreates
rock art using local clays as pigments in Hells
Canyon National Recreation Area.
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Is Rock Art Threatened by Air Pollution?

• A perception exists among area archeologists
  that ancient pictographs and petroglyphs are
  fading and eroding in Hells Canyon NRA.

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One Day Lichen Trip

• Managers, archeologists, botanists, and air
  quality specialists went for a 1 day look- -see
  river trip.
• We collected grab samples of lichens near the
  rock art and analyzed for N, S, metal levels

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One Day Lichen Trip Results

• During day long jet boat trip, we noticed high
  nitrophytic lichen cover on trees visible form
  the river.
• Lichen N S levels were very high compared to
  other remote sites, in the upper range of
  polluted and urban sites, other elements were
  within expected ranges for remote sites.
• Unanticipated conclusion Atmospheric N S
  deposition could be a problem.
• But what forms of N S are depositing? Is the
  problem limited to the river banks?

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1-Week Lichen Study, 2000

• 4 tributaries, 3 primary and 1 secondary to the
  Snake R.
• 4 plots per tributary, 3 km transects
• 16 plots total
• Plots restricted to net-leaf hackberry-bluestem
  bunchgrass plant community.

• Measured
• Nitrophilous lichen cover,
• Lichen N S content,
• Bark pH,
• Lichen community composition
• Collected habitat data.

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1-Week Lichen Study Results
Nitrophilous lichen cover was very high along the
main river banks and much lower at sites gt0.4 km
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1-Week Lichen Study Results

• Rock lichen N was highest close to the river
  and enhanced at all sites.
• Rock lichen S was highest close to the river
  but background at other sites.

N in rock lichens and bark cover of
nitrophilous lichens were strongly correlated.
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Bark pH data was consistent with deposition of
ammonia, as opposed to acid forms of N
1-Week Lichen Study Results
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1-Week Lichen Study Results

• Lichen communities on the valley floor were
• Similar to each other
• Correlated with other N deposition indicators
• Different from lichen communities along
  tributaries (MRPP, p 0.037, A 0.0275).

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Lichen parasites and parasymbionts were prevalent
throughout the study area
Melanelia
Physcia
Xanthoria
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1-Week Lichen Study Conclusions

• Lichen-indicated N deposition was high throughout
  the study area compared to other remote sites in
  the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky
  Mountains.
• N deposition was highest on the valley floor.
• NH3 is a likely source of N on the valley floor
• S deposition might be high along the Snake valley
  floor, but not elsewhere.
• N S-containing air pollutants may threaten
  archeological and ecological resources

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1 Year Passive Monitoring Study

• New questions Is the river a source of ammonia?
  What other N- and S- containing pollutants are
  present? Is there an overlaying regional
  contribution? Are pollution levels high enough
  to threaten other natural resources or to damage
  rock art?
• Passive sampling at 5 stations along the Snake R
  in Hells Canyon. Quantified biweekly-monthly
  mean ambient NH3, NOx, NO2, SO2, H2S.
• Continuous ozone measurements in spring and
  summer at the IMPROVE site in Oxbow Village, OR
  (HECA).
• Daily NH4NO3 and (NH4) 2SO4 concentrations in
  fine particulates from HECA for study period.
• Air mass back trajectories for HECA.

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Results Ozone
Average, minimum, and maximum daily summer ozone
concentrations at Oxbow, OR in 2003 were within
expected background ranges.
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Results NH3, NOx, SO2, H2S
a
Mean ambient concentrations of N- and
S-containing gases from five monitoring stations
along the Snake River in Hells Canyon Recreation
Area, from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003.
Only NH3 was high.
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Results Ammonia is episodically enhanced along
the valley floor
Ammonia concentrations (ppb) at 5 sites along the
Snake River in HCNRA. Values are averages of two
replicates during 2-4 week exposure periods from
July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003, marked at the
midpoint of the exposure period.
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IMPROVE Data

• NH4NO3 concentrations in fine particulates at
  HECA are higher than other western US sites
  (excluding southern CA) on the 20 of days when
  visibility is most impaired.

• HECA (NH4)2SO4 was low all year and similar to
  other western sites.

• The highest NH4NO3 days at HECA occur in winter.

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What are sources of N-containing pollutants in
Hells Canyon?
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Local sources and influences are probably
unchanged

• Topography
• Animal wastes
• Soils and plants
• Wildfires

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Long distance transport of regional pollutants
has increased
Unprecedented human population growth has led to
intensification of

• Agriculture
• CAFOs
• Fish farms

• Urban and industrial wastes
• Vehicle use

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Manure and commercial fertilizer contribute large
amounts of nitrogen to watersheds of Idahos
Snake River Basin
http//water.usgs.gov/nawqa/wri94-4001/fig1.html
http//water.usgs.gov/nawqa/wri94-4001/fig2.html

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The Snake River Ammonia source

• Large scale agriculture in Idaho is a major
  source of N, P in the Snake R
• Eutrophication causes extensive growth of algae
  and cyanobacteria which sink to deep, anoxic
  waters behind Snake R dams nitrification ceases
  and NH4 accumulates.
• Rapid algal growth consumes CO2, raising river pH
  to 9.
• Water released from the bottom of Hells Canyon
  Dam is high in NH4 1997 net release of 4.3
  million kg NH4 . High pH favors conversion to NH3
  and volatilzation.
• NH3 deposits rapidly to vegetation surfaces,
  especially moist microsites closest to the river

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Regional Ag and Urban Areas Ammonium Nitrate
Source

• And Include
• Snake River Basin
• San Francisco Bay Area
• Southern California

1999 Emissions Density NH3
1999 Emissions Density NOx
http//www.epa.gov/air/data/geosel.html
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Conclusions

• How do the results of these studies inform us and
  shape our concerns for natural and cultural
  resources?
• The intention of Wilderness Act is to preserve
  places unaltered and untrammeled by humans. CAA
  Class 1 designation affords the nations highest
  level of protection for air quality and air
  quality related values
• Cultural heritage is also protected by law.
• Biological, passive, and instrumented monitoring
  have provided evidence of
• Episodically high ambient NH3 concentrations
  along the valley floor of Hells Canyon in
  spring/summer,
• Seasonally high NH4NO3 concentrations in ambient
  fine particulates in winter,
• Enhanced N deposition throughout HCNRA.
• Eutrophication of the Snake River by agricultural
  fertilizers, anaerobic conditions behind dams,
  and high river pH explain ammonia production
  volatilization. Deposition occurs to vegetation
  and other surfaces close to the river.
• Western regional agriculture (esp Snake River
  Basin southern CA) and urban areas are the most
  likely sources of wintertime NH4NO3
• High N deposition is linked to many adverse
  biological and ecological effects, e.g. community
  composition of plants, aquatic microflora fauna
  (often favoring weedy species), soil fertility,
  water quality, fire frequency,etc.
• Ammonia is highly reactive compound and a strong
  weathering agent of minerals. There are many
  reports of urban stone deterioration by air
  pollution, but very little on effects of ammonia.
  This aspect needs more study but meanwhile
  cannot be eliminated, together with higher
  visitor use, as an explanation of the
  deterioration observed by FS archaeologists.
• Enforcement of current water quality standards
  (TMDL) and better regulation of agriculture would
  reduce pollution.
• Continued monitoring is needed to document future
  conditions.

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Thanks to our co-workers and contractors!
US Forest Service Annie Ingersoll, Alexander
Mikulin, and John Syzmoniak, Earl Baumgarten, Roy
Lombardo, Molly Lowe, Judy Redner, Steve Lucas,
Christine Rachael Bennet , Robert Bachman,
Bruce Womak, Kendall Clark , Dave Lebo, Jerry
Hustafa, Sarah Jovan Contractors Maxaam, 2B
Technology, Pacific Analytics, University of
Minnesota Research Analytical Laboratory