Elevated Mercury levels in Channel Cats in the Green

[cat_man]

See the new press release:

[url "http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-11/green_river_advisory.php"]Green River[/url]





http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/05-11/gree...visory.php
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[michaelbolton]

we all need to help clean up the green, it's an awesome river
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Disgustin', ain't it? There was also an article in this morning's Tribune about Salmon Falls Reservoir, near Twin Falls, ID. Seems the walleyes there are absorbing enough mercury from the gold mines in northern Nevada to be able to tell their own temperatures. Mercury levels are 150 times any amount ever found in northeastern lakes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_3200170http://"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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[Kraizee_Skot]

[font "Impact"][#ff4040][size 3]Hey TD I think I have eaten enough fish in my short lifetime to tell my own temperature too.[][/size][/#ff4040][/font]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Just don't be using a walleye as a rectal thermometer. Ouch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]When I lived (and fished) in southern Louisiana, the Mississippi that flowed through all the chemical and industrial plant areas was so polluted that there was a joke (only barely). That was that night fishing was easy. You could always tell where the fish were because they glow in the dark.[/#0000ff]
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[Carp_Punisher]

[#505000]Hey only 8 out of 10!!! That's great news %20 of the fish you get there are ok!!! [][/#505000]
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[Kent]

In the Illinois newspaper, that I recently received from my sister-in-law, there was an entire column listing the various warnings on how much (by type of fish) that one could safely eat from a lengthy list of waters in the area. I got the impression that it was included daily in the paper. Hopefully, we do not reach that point locally.
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[Rapo]

Wisconsin has had that problem in the Wisconsin River, caused by the papermills.
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[kokeking]

Ok i got a question.Since i dont live in utah i have no idea where desalation caynon is,but iam assuming that the green river flows into it and back out.Since the green river flows into flaming gorge and back out,would the fish in the gorge have a high mercury content?Or is the mercury getting into the water way down stream form the gorge?
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[Rapo]

Desolation Canyon, is south southwest of Vernal, and many miles south of Ouray. A very popular place for river runners. This would not effect Flaming Gorge.
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[LS]

Guys,

The fish tissue testing is just getting going in this state. This is going to be a HUGE issues. I work one of the agencies that's doing the testing (it's a different section) We don't have lots of data yet. My worst fear is that many more waters will be listed. I can't say for sure either way, it's just something that I worry about.

For those that don't know, one of the main sources of Mercury (Hg) in our water ways is coal fired power plants. As you may know there are many of these in NV and UT. There is also evidence that Hg can be transported in the atmosphere from as far away as Asia (China).

Keep your eyes and ears open. As I find things out I'll try to let you guys know what I know.

L
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[kokeking]

Tks Rapo for the info. []
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[Rapo]

LS, thanks for the info, very interesting.
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