Distribution of total mercury in the fishes of Lake Oahe

In 1971, a joint Federal-State survey was conducted to investigate the total mercury content of fish and sediment in Lake Oahe, South Dakota. Average total mercury concentration of 225 fish flesh samples was 0.27 mg kg⁻¹; game fish samples averaged 0.31 mg kg⁻¹ and nongame fish samples averaged 0.22 mg kg⁻¹. Frequency distributions of total mercury concentrations in the fish are presented by fish species and sampling location. Data include total mercury analyses of 43 sediment samples.