Summary

Description

The Nevada Division of Wildlife operates the Gallagher Fish Hatchery in the Ruby Lake NWR in Ruby Valley, Nevada. The results of previous sampling of water, sediment and aquatic vegetation that was conducted in September 1993 Wiemeyer and Tuttle 1995, suggested that copper and zinc concentrations in vegetations andor sediment samples from a ditch downstream of the fish hatchery. Copper sulfate is occasionally used by fish hatchery personnel to control algal blooms, usually in August and September of each year Martha Collins, personnel communication. These applications may be conducted both at the north fishrearing facility, about 15 miles north of refuge headquarters, and at the main hatchery complex, approximately 1.1 miles south of refuge headquarters. Concentrations of several metals and trace elements also appeared to be somewhat elevated in water, sediment, and vegetation samples collected at the south end of the South Marsh, at least when compared to other locations on the refuge. The Refuge Manager of the Ruby Lake NWR requested that the Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office collect various samples downstream of hatchery operations to determine if the fish hatchery could possibly be a source of metals and if they could have an adverse effect on refuge resources. Information was also needed on concentrations of metals and trace elements in aquatic invertebrates from the refuge as food items for fish and wildlife on the refuge.