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Reconnaissance Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment

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Reconnaissance Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment Reconnaissance Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment, and Biota Associated with Irrigation Drainage in the Dolores Project Area, Southwestern Colorado and Southeastern Utah, 1990-91 by David L. Butler, U.S. Geological Survey; Richard P. Krueger and Barbara Campbell Osmundson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Errol G. Jensen, Bureau of Reclamation___________ U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4041 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS Denver, Colorado 1995 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director The use of trade, product, industry, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Earth Science Information Center Box 25046, MS 415 Open-File Reports Section Denver Federal Center Box 25286, MS 517 Denver, CO 80225 Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Glossary of scientific names for biological organisms ......................................................................................................... viii Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and scope ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Description of Dolores Project area ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Location ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 History ........................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Physiography and climate .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Geology ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Soils and land use ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Soils .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Land use ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Fish and wildlife resources ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Hydrologic setting ................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Surface water ...........................................................................................................................................................^ 11 Irrigation projects ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Dolores Project................................................................................................................................................. 13 Ute Mountain Ute Irrigation Project ................................................................................................................ 15 Mancos Project................................................................................................................................................. 15 Summit Irrigation District ................................................................................................................................ 16 Ground water.............................................................................................................................................................. 16 Previous investigations ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Water-quality data ...................................................................................................................................................... 17 Surface water.................................................................................................................................................... 17 Ground water.................................................................................................................................................... 19 Soil and bottom-sediment data ................................................................................................................................... 19 Biological data ........................................................................................................................................................... 20 Mancos River field-screening study ................................................................................................................. 20 Selenium concentrations in aquatic biota............................................................................................... 23 Selenium concentrations in birds ........................................................................................................... 26 Sample collection and analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 26 Objectives................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Sampling sites and schedule of sample collection ..................................................................................................... 28 Sampling methods ...................................................................................................................................................... 30 Analytical support ...................................................................................................................................................... 31 Discussion of results ............................................................................................................................................................ 31 Water quality .............................................................................................................................................................. 31 Guidelines for interpretation of water-quality data .......................................................................................... 32 Dissolved solids and major constituents .......................................................................................................... 34 Trace elements ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Cadmium ................................................................................................................................................ 36 Mercury .................................................................................................................................................. 37 Selenium................................................................................................................................................. 37 Other trace elements ............................................................................................................................... 39 Pesticides .......................................................................................................................................................... 40 Bottom sediment ........................................................................................................................................................ 40 Biota ................................................................................_^ 42 Data interpretation............................................................................................................................................ 42 Trace elements ................................................................................................................................................. 43 Selenium in aquatic plants ..................................................................................................................... 43 Selenium in aquatic invertebrates .........................................................................................................
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