Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

insecticides, such as phorate, terbufos, or fon<strong>of</strong>os. Elevated concentrations <strong>of</strong>insecticides, such as azinphosmethyl and diazinon, have been detected in irrigation ditches,run<strong>of</strong>f, and tributaries in the vicinity <strong>of</strong> cranberry bogs. Ginseng farms, which arefrequently sited adjacent to waterways, are also known to utilize substantial quantities <strong>of</strong>herbicides (such as fluazifop-p-butyl), insecticides (such as diazinon), and fungicides (suchas iprodione; Harrison et al.1991). Furthermore, use <strong>of</strong> pyrethroids in various agriculturaland other applications represents an emerging concern due to their mobility and hightoxicity to aquatic organisms (Kemble et al. 2010).The results <strong>of</strong> this review, indicate that a wide variety <strong>of</strong> contaminants can be released toaquatic ecosystems within the Fraser River Basin in run<strong>of</strong>f from agricultural operations.Based on the quantities <strong>of</strong> these substances that are used in the province, it is likely thatthe highest priority contaminants associated with agricultural activities in the study areainclude (MDH 1999; Verrin et al. 2004):• Conventional variables (BOD, TSS);• Nutrients (i.e., nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, urea, phosphorus);• Metals (i.e., arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc);• Organochlorine pesticides (i.e., chlordane, DDTs, dieldrin, endosulfan,hexachlorobenzene, lindane, nonachlor);• In-use herbicides (i.e., atrazine, 2,4-D, ethalfluralin, glyphosate, mineral oil,paraquat, pendimethalin, simazine, triallate, trifluralin);• In-use insecticides (i.e., azinphosmethyl, Bacillis thuringiensis, chlorpyrifos,diazinon, endosulfan, malathion, mineral oil, parathion)• In-use fungicides (i.e., captan, copper, chlorothalonil, dazomet, mancozeb,metam, metiram, lime sulphur); and,• Other pesticides (i.e., formaldehyde, formalin).3.1.2.3 Run<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> Municipal StormwaterRun<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> stormwater from urban centres (including associated road and railway rights-<strong>of</strong>way)can represent an important non-point source <strong>of</strong> contaminants to receiving watersystems. The locations <strong>of</strong> municipal developments in the Fraser River Basin are shown inFigure 3.19. While the nature <strong>of</strong> the substances that are released to surface waters is afunction <strong>of</strong> land use activities in the area (Table 3.22), the contaminants that arecommonly associated with such run<strong>of</strong>f include road salts, metals, PAHs, oil and grease,38