Comparison of Water Years 200405 and Historical Water-Quality Data, Upper Gunnison River Basin, Colorado (original) (raw)
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Water quality of the Boulder Creek Watershed, Colorado
Fact Sheet, 2003
Located within the Rocky Mountain Front Range of Colorado, the 1,160km 2 Boulder Creek Watershed encompasses a variety of climate zones and geologic units (figs. 1 and 2). Water quality of Boulder Creek is affected by discharge variations from snowmelt, agricultural diversions, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, by point and non-point solute sources, and by in-stream processes. As with many watersheds in the American West, dependable water quality and sufficient water supply are issues facing local water managers and users. This fact sheet summarizes the results of a cooperative study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the city of Boulder to characterize the water quality of the Boulder Creek Watershed. Complete results of the study are published in USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 03-4045 (Murphy and others, 2003). This study was initiated by discussions at the Boulder Creek Watershed Forum, a monthly gathering of watershed residents, USGS scientists, city of Boulder personnel, and University of Colorado researchers. The primary goals of this study were to 1) characterize Boulder Creek water quality in the year 2000, 2) identify sources and sinks of chemical constituents, and 3) identify the processes controlling water chemistry. Results from this study provide community members with a better understanding of their watershed and a foundation for protecting and conserving water resources. STUDY AREA Boulder Creek originates as headwater streams at the Continental Divide and flows through historical mining districts and mountain communities to the mouth of Boulder Canyon. Upon exiting Boulder Canyon, Boulder Creek flows through the city of Boulder and eastward through the plains to the confluence with Saint Vrain Creek, 75 km downstream from the headwaters. Similar to many Front Range areas, the Boulder Creek Watershed area experienced rapid population growth from 1990 to 2000. As a consequence of this growth, acres of farmland in Boulder County decreased by 19 percent between 1992 and 1997 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1997). APPROACH Because of the large seasonal variation in flow (fig. 3), sampling was done during high-flow (mid-June) and low-flow (mid-October) conditions. Water-quality samples were collected from 18 sites along Boulder Creek and from 11 other sites (tributaries, WWTP effluent, pipelines, canals, and Saint Vrain Creek). Temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and specific conductance were measured on site. All samples were analyzed for 54 inorganic constituents, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and fecal coliform bacteria. At ten sites, samples were analyzed for 84 pesticides and 68 wastewater compounds (Table 1). RESULTS Discharge Low-flow conditions occur in Boulder Creek from October through March, and high-flow conditions occur from April to July, as snow melts, feeding the headwater streams. In addition to natural variations in discharge, water management, including impoundments, wastewater effluent, and agricultural diversions, causes temporal and spatial variations in discharge (fig. 3). The removal of water by diversions leaves less for dilution of constituents, such that WWTP Photo 1. Boulder Creek. Lower basin in foreground and foothills and Continental Divide in background.
Open-File Report, 1997
The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to assess the quantity and quality of the earth resources of the Nation and to provide information that will assist resource managers and policymakers at Federal, State, and local levels in making sound decisions. Assessment of water-quality conditions and trends is an important part of this overall mission. One of the greatest challenges faced by waterresources scientists is acquiring reliable information that will guide the use and protection of the Nation's water resources. That challenge is being addressed by Federal, State, interstate, and local water-resource agencies and by many academic institutions. These organizations are collecting water-quality data for a host of purposes that include: compliance with permits and water-supply standards; development of remediation plans for a specific contamination problem; operational decisions on industrial, wastewater, or watersupply facilities; and research on factors that affect water quality. An additional need for water-quality information is to provide a basis on which regional and national-level policy decisions can be based. Wise decisions must be based on sound information. As a society we need to know whether certain types of water-quality problems are isolated or ubiquitous, whether there are significant differences in conditions among regions, whether the conditions are changing over time, and why these conditions change from place to place and over time. The information can be used to help determine the efficacy of existing waterquality policies and to help analysts determine the need for and likely consequences of new policies. To address these needs, the Congress appropriated funds in 1986 for the USGS to begin a pilot program in seven project areas to develop and refine the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. In 1991, the USGS began full implementation of the program. The NAWQA Program builds upon an existing base of water-quality studies of the USGS, as well as those of other Federal, State, and local agencies. The objectives of the NAWQA Program are to: Describe current water-quality conditions for a large part of the Nation's freshwater streams, rivers, and aquifers. Describe how water quality is changing over time. Improve understanding of the primary natural and human factors that affect water-quality conditions. This information will help support the development and evaluation of management, regulatory, and monitoring decisions by other Federal, State, and local agencies to protect, use, and enhance water resources. The goals of the NAWQA Program are being achieved through ongoing and proposed investigations of 60 of the Nation's most important river basins and aquifer systems, which are referred to as study units. These study units are distributed throughout the Nation and cover a diversity of hydrogeologic settings. More than two-thirds of the Nation's freshwater use occurs within the 60 study units and more than two-thirds of the people served by public water-supply systems live within their boundaries. National synthesis of data analysis, based on aggregation of comparable information obtained from the study units, is a major component of the program. This effort focuses on selected water-quality topics using nationally consistent information. Comparative studies will explain differences and similarities in observed water-quality conditions among study areas and will identify changes and trends and their causes. The first topics addressed by the national synthesis are pesticides, nutrients, volatile organic compounds, and aquatic biology. Discussions on these and other waterquality topics will be published in periodic summaries of the quality of the Nation's ground and surface water as the information becomes available. This report is an element of the comprehensive body of information developed as part of the NAWQA Program. The program depends heavily on the advice, cooperation, and information from many Federal, State, interstate, Tribal, and local agencies and the public. The assistance and suggestions of all are greatly appreciated.
… , February 5-8, …, 2010
Naveen C. Adusumilli Graduate Assistant-Research, Texas AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, 2124 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2124 nadusumilli@tamu.edu ... Ronald D. Lacewell Professor and Assistant Vice Chancellor, Texas AgriLife Research, Texas ...
Bibliography of water-related studies, South Platte River basin; Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming
Open-File Report, 1993
This collection of more than 1,270 bibliographic references focuses on the numerous environmental factors that affect water quality in the South Platte River basin. This publication is the first product of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment program in the South Platte River basin. To aid in conducting a water-quality assessment for the basin, sources of water-related studies were compiled from computerized literature searches of biologic, chemical, geologic, and hydrologic data bases. Categories of information include: aquatic biology, atmospheric deposition, climate, geology, land use, runoff, sedimentation, surface-and groundwater hydrology, urban runoff, water chemistry water quality, and water use and management. References date from 1845 through October 1991. The bibliography includes, in some instances, abstracts of the subject reference. Coauthor and subject indices also are included. A major design feature of the NAWQA program is the integration of water-quality information at different areal scales. The principal building blocks of the program are the study-unit investigations on which the national-level assessments are based. The 60 study-unit investigations that compose the program are hydrologic systems that include parts of the Nation's major river basins and aquifer systems. These study units include areas ranging from about 600 (Oahu) to about 67,000 (Central High Plains) square miles and include about 60 to 70 percent of the Nation's water use and the population served by public water supply. In 1991, the South Platte River basin was among the first 20 NAWQA study units selected for study under the full-scale implementation plan.
2002
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to serve the Nation with accurate and timely scientific information that helps enhance and protect the overall quality of life, and facilitates effective management of water, biological, energy, and mineral resources (http://www.usgs.gov/). Information on the quality of the Nation's water resources is of critical interest to the USGS because it is so integrally linked to the long-term availability of water that is clean and safe for drinking and recreation and that is suitable for industry, irrigation, and habitat for fish and wildlife. Escalating population growth and increasing demands for the multiple water uses make water availability, now measured in terms of quantity and quality, even more critical to the long-term sustainability of our communities and ecosystems. The USGS implemented the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program to support national, regional, and local information needs and decisions related to water-quality management and policy (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa). Shaped by and coordinated with ongoing efforts of other Federal, State, and local agencies, the NAWQA program is designed to answer: What is the condition of our Nation's streams and ground water? How are the conditions changing over time? How do natural features and human activities affect the quality of streams and ground water, and where are those effects most pronounced? By combining information on water chemistry, physical characteristics, stream habitat, and aquatic life, the NAWQA program aims to provide sciencebased insights for current and emerging water issues and priorities. NAWQA results can contribute to informed decisions that result in practical and effective water-resource management and strategies that protect and restore water quality. Since 1991, the NAWQA program has implemented interdisciplinary assessments in more than 50 of the Nation's most important river basins and aquifers, referred to as Study Units (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/ nawqamap.html). Collectively, these Study Units account for more than 60 percent of the overall water use and population served by public water supply, and are representative of the Nation's major hydrologic landscapes, priority ecological resources, and agricultural, urban, and natural sources of contamination. Each assessment is guided by a nationally consistent study design and methods of sampling and analysis. The assessments thereby build local knowledge about water-quality issues and trends in a particular stream or aquifer while providing an understanding of how and why water quality varies regionally and nationally. The consistent, multi-scale approach helps to determine if certain types of water-quality issues are isolated or pervasive, and allows direct comparisons of how human activities and natural processes affect water quality and ecological health in the Nation's diverse geographic and environmental settings. Comprehensive assessments on pesticides, nutrients, volatile organic compounds, trace metals, and aquatic ecology are developed at the national scale through comparative analysis of the Study-Unit findings (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/natsyn.html). The USGS places high value on the communication and dissemination of credible, timely, and relevant science so that the most recent and available knowledge about water resources can be applied in management and policy decisions. We hope this NAWQA publication will provide you the needed insights and information to meet your needs, and thereby foster increased awareness and involvement in the protection and restoration of our Nation's waters. The NAWQA program recognizes that a national assessment by a single program cannot address all waterresource issues of interest. External coordination at all levels is critical for a fully integrated understanding of watersheds and for cost-effective management, regulation, and conservation of our Nation's water resources. The program, therefore, depends extensively on the advice, cooperation, and information from other Federal, State, interstate, Tribal, and local agencies, non-government organizations, industry, academia, and other stakeholder groups. The assistance and suggestions of all are greatly appreciated.
Environmental and Engineering Geoscience
Watershed-scale ground water characterization can be a challenge due to the scarcity and inherent uncertainties associated with publicly available data, coupled with the high costs of additional field scale investigations. In the Blue River Watershed of Summit County Colorado, we have combined limited supplemental fieldwork with publicly available data to evaluate the ground water hydrology and potential anthropogenic effects on water quality. This evaluation was focused on two locations in the Blue River Watershed: (1) Frisco Terrace, located near Dillon Reservoir; and (2) Blue River Estates, located along a tributary of the upper reaches of Blue River. The public data was obtained from waterwell logs available from the Colorado State Engineer's Office (CSEO), and one year of surface water quality data collected by the USGS. Site-specific data included soil analyses from the borings of four monitoring wells, one year of hydraulic head measurements, monthly water-quality analyses from these wells, and one year of monthly stream-water quality data. Based on the CSEO records, fundamental properties of the aquifer were estimated and compared favorably to information obtained from the monitoring wells. Hydraulic conductivity (K) estimated from driller's pump-test data reported in the well logs are on the order of 10 -2 to 10 -3 cm/sec. These values compare favorably with K values estimated from particle analysis of soils collected during drilling (~ 10 -2 cm/s). These K values suggest relatively fast chemical transport times. During 2002 (a dry year), the hydraulic head of the ground water at a study area (Blue River Estates development) in the upstream portion of the watershed was clearly lower than the nearby streams, indicating the streams are recharging the ground water. Pollution of nearby stream water from onsite wastewater systems (OWS) is unlikely in this scenario. However, the ground water appears to be discharging to wetlands located further downstream on the Blue River. At the study area near the mouth of the watershed (Frisco Terrace development), it is not clear whether ground water is recharging the streams based on physical data alone. A total of 76 surface and ground water samples were taken along the Blue River drainage between September 2001 and August 2002. The samples were clustered into six groups through chemical fingerprint analyses, each set with distinct chemical signatures due to differences in sulfate, chloride and nitrate concentrations. The water quality in the Blue River drainage varies in a predictable and systematic fashion. Surface water samples from 2 the head of the Blue River, Pennsylvania Creek and Swan River show chemical signatures of the natural water in mountain drainages. No anthropogenic impacts are noted in the streams at this location, supporting the contention that wastewater constituents are not entering the stream via a ground-water pathway. At the Frisco Terrace study area, waters exhibit elevated SO 4 possibly associated with mine tailings. In addition, the surface water in this area shows an anthropogenic signature that consists of elevated Cl and NO 3 . Three of the four monitoring wells installed in the watershed have chemical signatures that are essentially identical to the local surface water systems. This implies that the ground water and surface water at those locations are clearly connected. However, one monitoring well shows a distinct chemistry with lower TDS and SO 4 , but higher Cl and NO 3 , indicating a lack of connection with the surface water system, and potential anthropogenic impacts.
Groundwater quality in the Colorado River basins, California
Fact Sheet, 2012
Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California's drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State's groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Four groundwater basins along the Colorado River make up one of the study areas being evaluated. The Colorado River Study Area Overview of Water Quality GAMA's Priority Basin Project evaluates the quality of untreated groundwater. However, for context, benchmarks established for drinkingwater quality are used for comparison. Benchmarks and definitions of high, moderate, and low concentrations are discussed in the inset box on page 3. The USGS sampled 20 wells for this assessment; data from the California Department of Public Health database were used to supplement USGS data. Many inorganic constituents occur naturally in groundwater. The concentrations of the inorganic constituents can be affected by natural processes as well as by human activities. In the Colorado River study area, one or more inorganic constituents were present at high concentrations in 45% of the primary aquifers and at moderate concentrations in 35%. Organic constituents are present in products used in the home, business, industry, and agriculture. Organic constituents can enter the groundwater system through normal usage, spills, or improper disposal. In the Colorado River study area, organic constituents were present at moderate concentrations in 10% of the primary aquifers.
Effects of urbanization on stream ecosystems in the South Platte River Basin, Colorado and Wyoming
2006
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is committed to providing the Nation with accurate and timely scientific information that helps enhance and protect the overall quality of life and that facilitates effective management of water, biological, energy, and mineral resources (http://www.usgs. gov/). Information on the quality of the Nation's water resources is critical to assuring the long-term availability of water that is safe for drinking and recreation and suitable for industry, irrigation, and habitat for fish and wildlife. Population growth and increasing demands for multiple water uses make water availability, now measured in terms of quantity and quality, even more essential to the long-term sustainability of our communities and ecosystems. The USGS implemented the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program in 1991 to support national, regional, and local information needs and decisions related to water-quality management and policy (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa). Shaped by and coordinated with ongoing efforts of other Federal, State, and local agencies, the NAWQA Program is designed to answer: What is the condition of our Nation's streams and ground-water? How are the conditions changing over time? How do natural features and human activities affect the quality of streams and groundwater , and where are those effects most pronounced? By combining information on water-chemistry, physical characteristics, stream habitat, and aquatic life, the NAWQA Program aims to provide science-based insights for current and emerging water issues and priorities. From 1991 to 2001, the NAWQA Program completed interdisciplinary assessments in 51 of the Nation's major river basins and aquifer systems, referred to as Study Units (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/ studyu.html). Baseline conditions were established for comparison to future assessments, and longterm monitoring was initiated in many of the basins. During the next decade, 42 of the 51 Study Units will be reassessed so that 10 years of comparable monitoring data will be available to determine trends at many of the Nation's streams and aquifers. The next 10 years of study also will fill in critical gaps in characterizing water-quality conditions, enhance understanding of factors that affect water quality, and establish links between sources of contaminants, the transport of those contaminants through the hydrologic system, and the potential effects of contaminants on humans and aquatic ecosystems. The USGS aims to disseminate credible, timely, and relevant science information to inform practical and effective water-resource management and strategies that protect and restore water quality. We hope this NAWQA publication will provide you with insights and information to meet your needs, and will foster increased citizen awareness and involvement in the protection and restoration of our Nation's waters. The USGS recognizes that a national assessment by a single program cannot address all water-resource issues of interest. External coordination at all levels is critical for a fully integrated understanding of watersheds and for cost-effective management, regulation, and conservation of our Nation's water resources. The NAWQA Program, therefore, depends on advice and information from other agencies-Federal, State, interstate, Tribal, and local-as well as nongovernmental organizations, industry, academia, and other stakeholder groups. Your assistance and suggestions are greatly appreciated.