Water – abundant, pure and cool – is of vital significance to all of us. Water fills our drinking cups, powers our agriculture and is home to iconic fish and wildlife like salmon and steelhead.
In our 28-page publication, Water is the Connection, we connect the dots between water, pesticide use and salmon in the Willamette Valley. We discuss why salmon and their habitats are at risk from pesticides, highlight alternatives for weed, insect and disease management and share suggested best management practices for keeping pesticides out of the water.
We have also developed eight associated factsheets on pesticides that we are particularly concerned about in Willamette Valley streams. These include the insecticides chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, bifenthrin, diazinon, and methomyl, and the herbicides atrazine, diuron, and oxyfluorfen. These factsheets present data on the concentrations of these pesticides in Willamette Valley streams, harmful effects to salmon, alternatives to their use, label language to pay attention to, and best management practices.
Financial support for the development of these documents was provided by the Oregon Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program and Spirit Mountain Community Fund.
Showing 2 reactions
Sign in with
Facebook TwitterFrom the publication:
“Understanding the combined toxic effect of multiple pesticides in streams (mixtures) is an evolving area of toxicology…A review authored by Nina Cedergreen tested 136 pesticide binary mixtures (two pesticides combined) and reported that concentration addition explained toxic effects in the vast majority of combinations. Synergism (defined as a multiplicative, or enhanced, effect) explained toxic effects in 7% of combinations studied. Synergistic effects could reach 10 times the effect of additive effects.”
I’m wondering if you are mentioning that in addition to the chemicals you are mentioning there are many many more
that perhaps have not been adequately investigated. USGS has found biocide residues in most if not all of our rivers and streams in the United States,
glyphosate is high among those detected. Also since the synergism between all of these chemicals is never taken into consideration, its important to point
out that the list that you publish, simply the tip of the iceberg.