What bald eagles are telling us about the Columbia
Oregon Field Guide producer Vince Patton revisits the status of bald eagles in the Pacific Northwest in this episode, which just aired tonight. Bald eagles are right up there with the Northern spotted owl as the most famous endangered species.
But, as you see in this video, the eagles have a much happier story to tell these days. Their numbers in Oregon are up from 20 nesting pairs in the 1950s and 60s to 700-800 pairs today.
The big problem for eagles, and many other birds, was the pesticide DDT was weakening their egg shells and killing baby birds before they hatch. DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1972, and eagle populations have rebounded to the point where they were removed from the Endangered Species List in 2007.
But bald eagle eggs are still revealing new information to scientists today – particularly about the Columbia River. As I reported for OPB radio this morning, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service researchers collected new eagle egg samples from various places in the river basin last year.
According to Jeremy Buck, a contaminant specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the eggs offered at least four key insights about toxins in the Columbia River:
DDT is still haunting fish and wildlife in the Columbia in the form of its byproduct DDE. Dioxin, another toxin that damages eagle eggs, has dropped dramatically – probably because of restrictions on how much of it pulp and paper mills can discharge into the river. One section of the lower Columbia River estuary have higher toxin levels than the rest of the river. Eagles in that section of the river – between Astoria and Cathlamet – have a lower reproduction rate than those in the rest of the river, which raises questions about how they might impact young salmon in that area.
Buck said the 2010 samples were the third set of eggs researchers have examined since the 1980s.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen some more clear trends in the data,” Buck said. “This is pointing more toward that data that in the Astoria/Tongue Point area as being a primary dumping ground.
Northwest Usa Geologic Hot Spots - News
Some C$260 million is being spent on exploration in the Yukon this year, two-thirds of it on gold projects, said Patrick Sack of the Yukon Geological Survey. This surge in the number of gold projects has made it hard for mining companies to find talent
The toxic hot spot in the Columbia isn't the result of one big polluter in the estuary, said Mary Lou Soscia, Columbia River manager for the Environmental Protection Agency. The area between Astoria and Cathlamet is just the “bottom of the river” where
The geologic display is nothing short of fascinating, and probably a terminus for raging rock hounds. Seats Dam, complete with a rope swing, is a popular spot for locals to visit on hot days when the Illinois River feels like a bathtub.
National oil companies and Beijing are moving cautiously. China is well aware of the environmental pitfalls that are raising doubts in the United States. There are geological differences that make the US shale boom difficult to duplicate in China.
While transportation of oil and natural gas liquids in the Permian have been a hot topic, the industry continues to move quickly to reduce short-term bottlenecks and initiate major takeaway projects for the Permian. During the third quarter,
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Wyoming | Mini Motorhomes
Located in the northwest of the USA, in the state of Wyoming, is Yellowstone, a national park of the superlative, in which the impressive white water of ‘Old Faithful’ is today one of the most famous and most photographed natural spectacles in the world. Indeed, for more than a century, this mighty geyser has been the proud and unique landmark of the oldest national park in the United States. The Yellowstone National Park is famous for its highly visible geological processes. The area close to Old Faithful not only features a number of geysers but also numerous hot springs that highlight the tremendous thermal power that lies beneath the earth�s surface. Today, the Grand Geyser is the largest active geyser in the world. Its huge eruptions occur every 8 to 14 hours and last for 9 to 12 minutes and can sometimes reach a height of 60 metres. The Yellowstone is one of the largest volcanoes in the world. Because it is located directly above a geological hot spot, a huge cave constantly fills with magma. It is situated at a depth of 8 kilometres and is the reason for the park�s visible geothermal activity. Some kilometres south of Nymph Lake is another geothermal area, the Norris Geyser Basin. This area is unique among the landscapes of Yellowstone Park as it is not only the park�s hottest area but also boasts the largest geyser in the world, Steamboat Geyser.