Effects of Columbia River water on early life-stages of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

• White sturgeon are suffering recruitment failures in the Canadian section of the Columbia River.
• Discharges from a metal smelter in Trail, BC has been suggested as a contributing factor.
• Survival of early life stage white sturgeon was not affected by exposure to water from downstream of the smelter.
• Measured metal concentrations in river water were less than the thresholds for effects.

The white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) population that resides in the Columbia River in British Columbia (BC), Canada, has suffered recruitment failures for more than three decades. During the summers of 2008 and 2009, studies were performed to determine whether exposure to water downstream of a metal smelter in Trail, BC affected survival or growth of early life-stages of white sturgeon through 60+ days post-fertilization (dpf). In both years, there were no significant differences in survival of fish that were exposed to water from downstream compared to water from upstream of the smelter. At 20–21 dpf, average mortality was 2.4 percent and 12 percent in upstream water for 2008 and 2009, respectively, which was similar to the average mortality of 3.8 percent and 7.2 percent in downstream water for 2008 and 2009, respectively. Relatively great mortality after 20–21 dpf complicated analysis of the subchronic exposure, but use of a survival analysis indicated that the average fish died at 25–29 dpf, regardless of whether the water to which they were exposed came from upstream or downstream of the smelter. In addition, measured concentrations of metals in river water were less than the threshold for adverse effects on early life stages of white sturgeon. Based upon these analyses, it is not likely that current concentrations of metals in the Columbia River in southern BC are adversely affecting survival of early life stages of white sturgeon larvae.