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Geographic Variations in Water Quality and Recreational Use Along the Upper Wallowa River and Selected Tributaries

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Geographic Variations in Water Quality and Recreational Use Along the Upper Wallowa River and Selected Tributaries AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Theodore R. McDowellfor the degree ofDoctor of Philosophy in Geography presented on December 21, 1979 Title:Geographic Variations in Water Quality and Recreational Use Along the Upper Wallowa River and Selected Tributaries Abstract approved: Redacted for privacy Assistant Pro(sp)sornarl es Rosenfeld Physical, chemical and bacterial water quality parameters of the upper Wallowa River were sampled periodically between July 2, 1978 and June 9, 1979 at nine stream and lake sampling sites.Water upstream from Wallowa Lake was typified by low nutrient concentra- tions ( generally below detectable limits except for nitrates), low. specific conductivity (50-99 micromhos), and water temperatures below 15°C.Results of bacterial sampling were inconclusive, but sites and areas warranting further study were identified. An intensive study of spatial variations in bacterial water quality and recreational use was conducted at 15 stream and lake sampling sites on the East Fork of the Wallowa River between July 5 and September 3, 1979.Streamflow, precipitation, water temperatures, and fecal coliform bacteria counts were determined two or three times per week and during storm events.Levels and patterns of recreational use were also monitored during that period.Fecal coliform counts varied significantly (at the 0.001 p level) with geographic patterns of recreational use, but there was no significant relationship between levels of recreational use.Bacterial water quality also varied signi- ficantly (at the 0.001 p level) between habitats in the study area. Fecal coliform counts were lowest in lakes and alpine streams and highest in meadow and forest streams.Fecal coliform counts were closely correlated ( r = 0.57 to 0.84, significant at the 0.01 level) with precipitation in the lower portions of the study area, but not in the headwaters where sources of fecal contamination were relatively absent.Fecal coliform counts were generally highest during the rising phase of storm runoff at those sites below 2200 m; however, prediction equations based on hydrologic variables lacked precision because significant levels of fecal contamination entered the areas streams during dry periods. Geographic Variations in Water Quality and Recreational Use Along the Upper Wallowa River and Selected Tributaries by Theodore R. McDowell A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Completed December 21, 1979 Commencement June 1980 APPROVED: Redacted for privacy Assistant Profes oof Geography in charge of major Redacted for privacy 7/ Chairperson of Departm nt of Geography Redacted for privacy Dean of Graduate School I Date thesis is presented December 21, 1979 Typed by Margi Wolski for Theodore R. McDowell ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank the many people who have helped me during this project, particularly the following members of the Corvallis Environmental Research Laboratory staff:Dr. Jack Gackstatter (fund- ing); James Omernik (critical review and cartographic assistance); William Griffis (laboratory analysis of nutrients); Martin Knittel, Tamotsu Shiroyama, Frank Stay, Albert Katko, and Dennis Chapman (equipment, materials and technical assistance); and William Tiffany and Clarence Callahan (computer access and consulting).I would like to thank the members of my committee, Dr. 's Charles Rosenfeld, Robert Beschta, James Lahey, Richard Highsmith, Jr. ,and Robert Frenkel,for equipment loans and critical review of the manuscript. I am grateful to Dr. John Buckhouse, Department of Range Science, and Dr. Peter Klingeman, Department of Civil Engineering, Oregon State University for equipment used during the project.I am deeply appreciative of the assistance and information provided by the following U.S. Forest Service Personnel: Tom Quigley, Eastern Oregon Forest and Range Experiment Station, La Grande (materials); Kenwood Hauter, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Baker; James Bradley, Tom Glasford, Steve Barry, Ann Stephanick, Cindy Hein and Ann Werner, Eagle Cap Wilderness Area.Special recognition is due the Cartographic Service of the Department of Geography for inking the maps and many of the figures. And most of all, I thank my family and my friends who provided encouragement and assistance at the times when they were needed most. This research was supported by the U.S. Environmental Pro- tection Agency (EPA Contract Order No. B 104 ONAEX). TABLE OF CONTENTS I.INTRODUCTION 1 Background 1 Statement of the Problem 10 Purpose and Objectives 11 II.THE STUDY AREA 14 Location 14 Physical Setting 16 Physiography 16 Geology 19 Vegetation 24 Climate 26 Hydrology 30 Use and Management History 32 Occupant History 32 Recreational Use and Management History of the Eagle Cap Wilderness Area 35 Study Sites 41 III.METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES 47 Sampling Schedule 47 Nutrient Sampling 47 Parameters Sampled 47 Nitrogen 49 Phosphorus 51 Sample Collection and Preservation 53 Sample Analysis 54 Bacterial Sampling 55 Indicator Bacteria Sampled 55 Sample Collection 57 Sample Analysis 60 Procedures Used During the Preliminary Investigation 61 Procedures Used During 1979 64 Sterilization Procedures 65 Physical Parameters Sampled 66 Water Temperature 66 Specific Conductivity 67 Streamflow 68 Precipitation 70 Table of Contents, Continued: Recreational Use 70 Estimating Levels of Wilderness Use in the Study Area 70 Determining Spatial Patterns of Wilderness Use in the Study Area 73 Statistical Methods 75 Analysis of Variance 75 Regression Analysis 76 IV, RESULTS 77 Results of the Baseline Study 77 Nutrient Water Quality 77 Nitrogen 77 Phosphorus 86 Physical Characteristics and Water Quality 91 Streamflow 91 Specific Conductivity 93 Water Temperature 95 Preliminary Assessment of Bacterial Water Quality 100 Geographic Variations in Bacterial Water Quality and Recreational Use 104 Results of Bacterial Water Quality Analysis 104 Analysis of Variance Between Sites 108 Geographic Patterns of Recreational Use 111 Variations in Bacterial Water Quality and Patterns of Recreational Use 115 Variations in Bacterial Water Quality and Levels of Recreational Use 119 Geographical Variations in Bacterial Water Quality and Background Environmental Conditions 124 Variations in Bacterial Water Quality Between Environmental Settings 124 Variations in Bacterial Water Quality and Hydrological Conditions 127 V. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 137 Summary of the Baseline Study 138 Summary of Geographic Variations in Bacterial Water Quality 140 Table of Contents, Continued: Variations Related to Recreational Use 141 Variations Related to Background Environmental Conditions 142 Bacterial Water Quality and Potential Health Hazards in the Study Area 143 Conclusions 145 Recommendations 147 REFERENCES 149 APPENDIX I.Description of Sampling Sites 158 APPENDIX II.Media Specifications 199 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Location map of the study area, the Wallowa River drainage upstream from Wallowa Lake 15 2 Topography of the Upper Wallowa River drainage 18 3 Litho logy of the Upper Wallowa River drainage area 20 4 Climatograph for Enterprise, Oregon, based on a 30 year record, 1941 to 1970 27 5 Mean monthly discharge for the East Fork of the Wallowa River for the period 1951-1978, com- pared with mean monthly discharge for the extreme discharge years of 1973 and 1975 31 6 Anthropogenic features in the upper Wallowa River drainage area. 36 7 Sampling sites in the upper Wallowa River drainage area 44 8 NO2 + NO3 concentrations sampled at sites 13, 24 and 25 between July 2, 1978 and June 9, 1979 83 9 Mean monthly discharge for the East Fork of the Wallowa River:1951-1978; 1978; and 1979 90 10 Streamflow hydrograph for the East Fork of the Wallowa River and unpublished precipitation data for the Joseph Ranger Station, Joseph, OR 92 11 Plots of specific conductivity and stream dis- charge measured at sites 13 and 24 96 12 Trace of water temperatures sampled at selected baseline sites 99 List of Figures, Continued: 13 The mean and range of fecal coliform counts recorded for each sampling site 107 14 Anthropogenic features used to identify geographic variations in recreational use 112 15 Precipitation, streamflow and fecal coliform counts recorded for site 15 on the East Fork of the Wallowa River, July 5 - September 3, 1979 132 16 Fecal coliform counts during storm events at sites 8 and 14, August 1979 135 17 Sampling sites 159 18 Looking upstream from site 1 161 19 Looking downstream from the ridgeline above site 1 161 20 Looking upstream from site 3 165 21 Looking upstream from site 4 167 22 Looking across compacted campsite at site 5 169 23 Outlet from Aneroid Lake 171 24 Looking southwest across Aneroid Lake from the northeast shore above the lake outlet 172 25 Looking upstream from site 7 174 26 Roger Lake and meadow complex 174 27 Channel conditions at site 8 176 28 Heavily disturbed stream crossing between sites9 and 10 179 List of Figures, Continued: 29 Looking upstream from site 12 183 30 Dam and pond located downstream from site 13 185 31 Site 15 and bridge on Power Station Road 188 32 Looking west at the alpine environment above Ice Lake 191 33 Bridge crossing Adams Creek downstream from Ice Lake and upstream from site 23 193 34 Looking southwest across Ice Lake from a bench above site 23 193 35 Looking down the gorge of the West Fork, up- stream from site 24 195 36 The West Fork Wallowa River and B. C. .Creek tributary during low flows in October 1978 196 37 The Wallowa River and highway bridge upstream from
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