Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Texas
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

The impacts of urban wastewater to the water quality and aquatic ecosystem of Lake Mead National Recreation Area are not well documented. The objective of this project is to examine the potential effects in fathead minnow of exposure to standard tertiary-treated wastewater effluent from Las Vegas, Nevada. Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a standard fish model for toxicity testing and in this study will be used as surrogate for fish in Lake Mead. Partial life-cycle (21-day exposures) and multigenerational exposure formats will be used. Multiple endpoints of endocrine a reproductive toxicity will be examined.