Assessment of Mercury Concentrations in Water and Fish Tissue Analysis in Kaw Lake, Oklahoma, 2022

The Kaw Nation has been collecting water, sediment, and fish samples from Lake upper Arkansas River 2007 to present examine the concentrations of Mercury other heavy metals protect health tribal members. is in North-Central part Oklahoma. a permanent water body constructed 1976 by Army Corps Engineers. consistently fed tributaries as runoff coming all way Colorado through Kansas surface area 26.64 square miles (69 km2) shoreline 168 (270 km) with total drainage 56,345 (145,393 an average depth 8 meters. were collected 7 sites Lake, once month year during summertime, early July end July. focused on 5 sport, predator, bottom dwelling species large consumable size, greater than 200 mm length 560 grams weight. five sampled Catfish, White bass, Largemouth Smallmouth Black crappie. sent Accurate Environmental Labs for detailed analysis. Predator analyzed fillet dwellings whole using EPA Method 7471A-M. Water Fish Tissue Samples Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry. laboratory analysis indicated that concentration except Blue Catfish Spotted Bass fall below Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) 0.5 mg/kg.