1997 Report to Congress

• Overview
• Basic Information
• Technical Resources
• CS Data

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

1997 Contaminated Sediment Report to Congress

January 1998

• National Sediment Quality Survey Database
• Fact Sheet
• Press Release (January 07, 1998)
• Federal Register Notice of Availability (January 14, 1998)

The Incidence and Severity of Sediment Contamination in Surface Waters of the United States: National Sediment Quality Survey, Second Edition

Our 1997 Report to Congress on contaminated sediment identifies areas in the continental United States where sediment may be contaminated at levels that may adversely affect aquatic life and human health. This report was prepared in response to The Water Resources Development Act of 1992 which directed us to prepare a report to Congress on the environmental health of sediments in the nation's waterways. It was prepared in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Army Corps of Engineers, and other federal, state, and local agencies.

Download Instructions

Download the archive of .pdf files for each volume (requires archiving software).

• Volume 1: National Sediment Quality Survey (zipped archive) (8.6MB; Requires archiving software; EPA 823-R-97-006): Assesses the probability of associated adverse human or ecological effects with contaminated sediment based on a weight-of-evidence evaluation.
• Volume 2: Data Summaries for Watersheds Containing Areas of Probable Concern (zipped archive) (10.2MB; Requires archiving software; EPA 823-R-97-007): Presents sampling station location maps and chemical and biological summary data for watersheds containing APC's.
• Volume 3: National Sediment Contaminant Point Source Inventory (zipped archive) (1.12MB; Requires archiving software; EPA 823-R-97-008): A screening analysis that identifies probable point source contributors of sediment pollutants.