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Abstract
River water throughout Georgia was analyzed for organic contaminants including organochlorine (OC) chemicals (OC pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) over two years during low and high stream-flow periods. Concentrations for OC chemicals and PFCs ranged from 0 114 ng/L and 0 47 ng/L, respectively. Chemical concentrations were related to land-use and environmental variables with hierarchical linear models. Urban land cover influenced PFC concentrations in the river while agricultural land-use influenced OC chemical concentrations in the river water. Samples near an urban area or with a high percentage of urban in the riparian area of the stream had higher concentrations of PFCs. Run-off from row crop agricultural fields was a strong source for legacy-use OC chemicals as OC concentrations increased in the water column with an increase in turbidity and river discharge in areas with a high percentage of row crop agriculture within riparian area of the stream.