Project Background
In 2022 the University of Idaho (UI) received a grant from the EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program to assess the suitability of crayfish as monitoring organisms for tire wear particles and a newly discovered associated toxin, 6PPD-Quinone (6PPD-Q). 6PPD-Q is the oxidation product of 6PPD, a common antioxidant and antiozonant found in almost all commercial tires. Recent research shows that it is particularly toxic to Coho, Rainbow Trout/Steelhead, and other important aquatic fish species. For this grant, UI has teamed up with the Salish School of Spokane, Washington Department of Transportation, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, and the Clark Fork Coalition to sample water, sediment, crayfish, and fish from sites throughout the middle and upper Columbia River Basin. Samples will be analyzed to determine concentrations of tire particles and 6PPD-Q. This website will be updated with our findings throughout the project duration and will serve as an educational platform for community members, scientists, teachers, and anyone else interested in this research.
Research Focus Area
Team Members
Dr. Mary Engels
Assistant Professor
Department of Natural Resources and Society
engels@uidaho.edu
Abbie Johnson
B.S. in Environmental Science (in progress)
B.S. in Philosophy (in progress)
john4864@vandals.uidaho.edu
Miles Butler
B.S. in Environmental Science (in progress)
B.S. in Ecology and GIS (in progress)
butl7509@vandals.uidaho.edu
Partners
Why Partners?
It takes the collaboration of both community members and scientists to develop an integrated approach to environmental issues. Partnering with diverse groups is advantageous for many reasons: we can gain knowledge about local sampling sites; there is an opportunity for students and community members to volunteer by helping with sample collection; we can utilize the organizations’ established relationships with community members, therefore increasing volunteer participation and community education about 6PPD-Q and TWP pollution; and we can work with young students to prepare the next generation of scientists to protect the CRB. Overall, the more people that know about 6PPD-Q and TWP contamination and are involved in the research, the more well-rounded and inclusive our project will be.
The Clark Fork Coalition (CFC) works to protect the waters of the Clark Fork Basin by educating community members about the significance of the river and organizing the public to care about the river. They take on a science-based and community-focused approach to their mission by creating diverse partnerships. In this research project, they will help us organize multiple volunteer crayfish sampling events; these events will also serve as a community outreach opportunity where the public can learn more about TWP and 6PPD-Q, both generally and specifically in the Clark Fork Basin. These events will also help raise awareness about how tribal communities face disproportionate adverse health impacts from contaminated water systems.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to protect the environment and provide safe and clean water, air, and land to the people. Our project is funded by the Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program and focuses on two of the EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Program priorities: 1) to monitor trends and current conditions of the CRB by sampling and analyzing toxics in CRB fish, water, and sediment, and 2) to promote public knowledge and engagement by increasing communication with individual community members.
Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks (MFWP) provides stewardship of fish, wildlife, parks, and recreational resources of Montana. MFWP frequently conducts research in aquatic systems to determine the health of native species and ecosystems, and they are committed to protecting CRB ecosystems through environmental monitoring programs and partnering in collaborative research. To align with their existing monitoring efforts, we will be adding fifteen additional sites for paired crayfish and fish sampling. This organization will aid our project by designating priority sampling sites, creating a sampling plan, and conducting sampling of crayfish, sediment, and water throughout the Clark Fork Basin.
The Salish School of Spokane (SSS) is a non-profit community education school serving native youth 1-18 years old, working to preserve and revitalize the Salish culture and language. SSS wants to bring public awareness to the importance of protecting the Columbia RIver Basin against pollutants, and they have experience collaborating with research groups to conduct water quality tests and crayfish sampling. For our project, the SSS will help develop curriculum for the students (about 6PPD-Q, TWP, crayfish anatomy, strategies to prevent pollutants from contaminating water systems, and more), collect water, sediment, and crayfish samples, and promote the importance of environmental monitoring.
The Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has a mission of providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation access to improve communities and local economies. One main goal of this organization is to develop solutions for sustainable stormwater management to foster healthy conditions for humans and aquatic ecosystems. In addition, WSDOT has been working with universities throughout the state to prioritize the research of 6PPD-q and TWP pollution and is committed to establishing a long-term environmental monitoring program for toxics in CRB. For our project, WSDOT has provided us with stormwater retention pond data and will provide access for crayfish sampling to these stormwater retention pond sites.