Read about PPCPs in Pacific oysters, manmade canals, earthquakes, a new groundwater lab, and a drought and public health report in this Bulletin.
by Rica Perez
August 8, 2023
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Publications
Elise Granek (PSU) and OSU colleague Amy L. Ehrhart conducted a 12-week lab experiment to understand the effects of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) on the marine environment. For their paper “PPCPs in coastal wastewater treatment plant effluent and uptake by Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas): Findings from a laboratory experiment,” Ehrhart and Granek exposed Pacific oysters to effluent taken from two Oregon coastal wastewater treatment plants. The experiment indicated a clear possibility of PPCP exposure to and uptake by marine organisms in rural coastal areas.
In “Evaluating the Efficacy of Manmade Canals at Maintaining Lake Habitats for Salmon and Birds Using Seasonal Variations in Isotopes of Meteoric Water” John Bershaw (PSU) and other researchers investigated the environmental impact hydrologic restoration has had on juvenile salmon and waterfowl in Sturgeon Lake in Oregon. They determined that, after restoration, 36.5% and 9.5% of water input was lost to evaporation during the summer and winter, respectively, with an average residence time of 43.2 days. They concluded that water levels and overall lake conditions are adequately maintained in the winter but experience some stagnation and ecosystem degradation in the summer.
Jim E O’Connor (USGS), Research Geologist in the USGS Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics (GMEG) Science Center, recently published with other researchers “Impacts of a Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake on Water Levels and Wetlands of the Lower Columbia River and Estuary.” This research used a hydrodynamic model to examine sea-level rise in relation to land surface lowering, an outcome of earthquake events, in the lower Columbia River Estuary. They discovered that 93 percent of current wetland habitat converts to lower-elevation types caused primarily by land surface lowering as well as tidal changes.
Other Water Science News and Articles
The Western Oregon University (WOU) Earth and Environmental Science Department just completed construction of a Groundwater Monitoring Laboratory which will serve students pursuing careers in hydrogeology, hydrology, geology, and environmental science. Three shallow groundwater monitoring wells, spaced apart by approximately 100 meters, were installed and drilled to a depth of about 50 feet at WOU’s Ash Creek Preserve. Check out this video to learn more about the Groundwater Lab!
As part of a comprehensive drought and health assessment supported by NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), Portland hosted the Pacific Northwest Drought and Human Health Workshop in October of 2022. Check out their report, “Drought and Public Health: A Roadmap for Advancing Engagement and Preparedness,” for findings from the national summit and each of the five regional workshops.