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Dissolved-Solids Transport in Surface Water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah

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Dissolved-Solids Transport in Surface Water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum Dissolved-Solids Transport in Surface Water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5001 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover photo: Muddy Creek near U.S. Geological Survey streamgage 09332800 . (Photo credit: Steven Gerner, USGS, Salt Lake City, Utah.) Dissolved-Solids Transport in Surface Water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah By Steven J. Gerner Prepared in coooperation with the Bureau of Land Management and the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5001 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested reference: Gerner, S.J., 2008, Dissolved-solids transport in surface water of the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5001, 57 p. Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2008/5001 iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Environmental Setting ..........................................................................................................................2 Geology and Associated Hydrologic Characteristics ............................................................2 Land Cover and Use ....................................................................................................................5 General Climatic Characteristics ..............................................................................................6 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................7 Conceptual Model of Dissolved-Solids Sources and Transport ...................................................9 Previous Studies ................................................................................................................................10 Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................................10 Methods.........................................................................................................................................................10 Dissolved-Solids Concentration Determinations ..........................................................................11 Water Samples ..........................................................................................................................11 Estimates from Specific-Conductance Values .....................................................................11 Dissolved-Solids Load Estimates ....................................................................................................22 Baseflow Dissolved-Solids Load .............................................................................................25 Relationship of Precipitation in the Basin to Flow and Dissolved Solids in Muddy Creek .....26 Quality Assurance and Control ........................................................................................................29 Transport of Dissolved Solids ...................................................................................................................29 Annual Dissolved-Solids Loads and Yields, WYs 1976–2006 .......................................................29 Streamflow, Specific Conductance, and Dissolved Solids, WYs 2005–06 ................................31 Streamflow ..................................................................................................................................31 Streamflow Partitioning into Baseflow, Snowmelt Runoff, and Direct Runoff .......31 Baseflow ...................................................................................................................31 Snowmelt Runoff .....................................................................................................31 Direct Runoff ............................................................................................................32 Specific Conductance and Relation to Dissolved-Solids Concentration and Flow .......32 Dissolved-Solids Concentrations ...........................................................................................38 Dissolved-Solids Loads ............................................................................................................40 Dissolved-Solids Load Partitioned by Transport Flow Component...........................41 Baseflow ..................................................................................................................43 Snowmelt ..................................................................................................................43 Direct Runoff .............................................................................................................43 Dissolved-Solids Yields .............................................................................................................43 Contribution of Dissolved Solids to Muddy Creek from Selected Areas ..........................44 Salt Wash ...........................................................................................................................44 Muddy Creek Between Sites MCm1 and MCm2 .........................................................46 Relation of Storms in Muddy Creek Basin and Dissolved-Solids Transport at Site MCm3 ....47 Dissolved Solids Transported by a 10- to 25-Year Flood .............................................49 Trends in Dissolved-Solids Concentrations in Muddy Creek ......................................................51 Summary........................................................................................................................................................54 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................55 iv Figures Figure 1. Map showing geographic features and water-quality monitoring sites in the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah ……………………………………………………… 3 Figure 2. Map showing geology and 10-digit hydrologic units in Muddy Creek Basin, Utah …………………………………………………………………………… 4 Figure 3. Map showing land cover and use in Muddy Creek Basin, Utah ………………… 7 Figure 4. Map showing land ownership in Muddy Creek Basin, Utah …………………… 8 Figure 5. Graph showing annual runoff and average annual runoff at selected water- quality monitoring sites and annual volume of precipitation, Muddy Creek Basin, Utah, 1976 to 2006 ……………………………………………………………… 9 Figure 6. Graphs showing relation of dissolved-solids concentration from residue on evaporation (ROE) at 180oC to specific conductance (SC) in water samples from water-quality monitoring sites MCm1, MCm2, and MCm3 in the Muddy Creek Basin, Utah ……………………………………………………………………… 23 Figure 7. Graph showing relation of estimated baseflow dissolved-solids concentration to baseflow and baseflow dissolved-solids load at site MCm3, Muddy Creek, Utah, water years 2005–06 ……………………………………………………… 26 Figure 8. Graph showing estimated annual dissolved-solids loads at sites MC, MCm1, and MCm3 on Muddy Creek, Utah, and annual precipitation in the Muddy Creek Basin …………………………………………………………………………… 30 Figure 9. Graphs showing daily baseflow, snowmelt runoff, and direct runoff at water- quality monitoring sites MCm1, MCm2, and MCm3, Muddy Creek, Utah, water years 2005–06 …………………………………………………………………… 33 Figure 10. Graphs showing relation of specific conductance and dissolved solids in water samples to streamflow at water-quality monitoring sites MCm1, MCm2, and MCm3, Muddy Creek, Utah ……………………………………………………… 36 Figure 11. Graphs showing relation of flow and specific conductance during the events of November 11–13, 2004, and August 16–18, 2006, water-quality monitoring site MCm3, Muddy Creek, Utah …………………………………………………… 37 Figure 12. Graph showing daily mean dissolved-solids concentration at water-quality monitoring sites MCm1, MCm2, and MCm3, Muddy Creek, Utah ……………… 39 Figure 13. Graph showing distribution of daily mean dissolved-solids concentrations at monitoring sites on Muddy Creek, Utah, water years 2005–06 ………………… 39 Figure 14. Trilinear diagrams showing relation of major constituents in water samples from water-quality monitoring sites MCm1, MCm2, and MCm3,
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