Potential of largemouth bass as vectors of 137Cs dispersal
M.H. Pallera,*, D.E. Fletcherb, T. Jonesc,
S.A. Dyerd, J.J. Iselye, J. W. Littrellf
aSavannah River National Laboratory, Westinghouse
Savannah River Company, Building 773-42A, Savannah, River Site, Aiken,
SC 29808, USA
bSavannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia,
Drawer E, Aiken, SC 29802. USA
cDepartment of Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Wildlife, GO8 Lehotsky
Hall, Clemson, SC 29634-0362, USA
dSGCP-Risk Assessment, Westinghouse Savannah River Company,
Savannah, River Site, Aiken, SC 29808, USA
eSouth Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit,
Clemson University, .Clemson, SC 29634-0317, USA
fSGCP-Geochemical Monitoring, Westinghouse Savannah River Company,
Savannah, River Site, Aiken, SC 29808, USA
Received 28 December 2003; received in revised form 13 August 2004; accepted
23 August 2004
Abstract
We conducted a radio telemetry study on the movements of potentially contaminated
largemouth bass between Steel Creek, a restricted access 137Cs
contaminated stream on the Savannah River Site (located in South Carolina,
USA), and the publicly accessible Savannah River. Largemouth bass were
relatively mobile in lower Steel Creek and the portion of the Savannah
River near Steel Creek, and there was considerable movement between these
two habitats. Largemouth bass had home ranges of about 500 linear meters
of shoreline in the Savannah River but sometimes moved long distances.
Such movements occurred primarily during the spawning season, largely
upstream, and increased when water levels were changing or
elevated. However, approximately 90% of the largemouth bass observations
were within 10 km of Steel Creek. The total quantity of 137Cs
transported into the Savannah Rjver by largemouth bass was much less than
transported by water and suspended sediments discharged from Steel Creek.
We conclude that largemouth bass from the Savannah River Site are unlikely
to be responsible for long distance dispersal of substantial radiological
contamination in the Savannah River.
@ 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords: Largemouth bass; 137Cs; Cesium; Telemetry;
Migration; Dispersal; Savannah River; Fish
SREL Reprint #2858
Paller, M. H., D. E. Fletcher, T. Jones, S. A. Dyer, J. J. Isely and J. W. Littrell. 2005. Potential of largemouth bass as vectors of 137Cs dispersal. Journal of Environmental Radioactivity 80:27-43.
