Selenium Standards in the Kootenai River
Years of collaborative research and discussion between scientists, stakeholders, and decision makers culminated last year with Montana adopting a more stringent selenium pollution rule for the Kootenai River and Lake Koocanusa. The effort to establish stronger selenium limits has long been led by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, and the Ktunaxa Nation Council. Canadian coal mining company Teck Resources, whose operations are responsible for the high levels of selenium in the river, recently petitioned to overturn the new limits.
The Kootenai watershed, which straddles Canada, Montana, and Idaho has pervasive selenium pollution that is leaching from Teck’s mountaintop removal coal mines in British Columbia. High selenium concentrations in the river degrade water quality, poison fish, and pose a threat to human health. Concentrations are steadily increasing and are already far above levels that Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality has deemed safe for the river.
Selenium accumulation in fish results in reproductive failure, which can lead to devastating population collapses. In headwater tributaries to the Kootenai just downstream of Teck’s mining operations, the westslope cutthroat trout population crashed by 93% over three years.
The new rule is meant to offer stronger protection of the river’s water quality and fish in Montana as well as downstream in Idaho. Montana’s adoption of the new selenium limits also provides a foundation for future transboundary clean water commitments between the US and Canada concerning the Kootenai.
Reverting to Montana’s old selenium criteria would go against the years of research that backed up the decision to implement a stronger standard last year, and would jeopardize the health of fish populations and other aquatic life throughout the river system.
Speak up for the Kootenai on January 31st at the Montana Board of Environmental Review’s public hearing. (Look for an announcement here on January 21st for meeting details).
Join us for a River Advocacy Training on Thursday, January 22, 2022 at 1:00 PM Mountain Time to learn more about the issue and how to speak up for the Kootenai River!