title: Baseline ecological risk assessment of the Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana: Part 1. Overview and problem formulation.
abstract: A remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) of the Calcasieu Estuary cooperative site was initiated in 1998. This site, which is located in the southwestern portion of Louisiana in the vicinity of Lake Charles, includes the portion of the estuary from the saltwater barrier on the Calcasieu River to Moss Lake. As part of the RI/FS, a baseline ecological risk assessment (BERA) was conducted to assess the risks to aquatic organisms and aquatic-dependent wildlife exposed to environmental contaminants. The purpose of the BERA was to determine if adverse effects on ecological receptors are occurring in the estuary; to evaluate the nature, severity, and areal extent of any such effects; and to identify the substances that are causing or substantially contributing to effects on ecological receptors. This article describes the environmental setting and site history, identifies the chemicals of potential concern, presents the exposure scenarios and conceptual model for the site, and summarizes the assessment and measurement endpoints that were used in the investigation. Two additional articles in this series describe the results of an evaluation of effects-based sediment-quality guidelines as well as an assessment of risks to benthic invertebrates associated with exposure to contaminated sediment.
authors: MacDonald Environmental Sciences Ltd., Nanaimo, BC V9T1W6, USA. mesl@shaw.ca
authors: Donald D
authors: DD
authors: MacDonald
authors: Dwayne R J
authors: DR
authors: Moore
authors: Christopher G
authors: CG
authors: Ingersoll
authors: Dawn E
authors: DE
authors: Smorong
authors: R Scott
authors: RS
authors: Carr
authors: Ron
authors: R
authors: Gouguet
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Charters
authors: Duane
authors: D
authors: Wilson
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Harris
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Rauscher
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Roddy
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry; D007448:Invertebrates; D008145:Louisiana; D008954:Models, Biological; D012107:Research Design; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical