Prepared in cooperation with Routt County, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the City of Steamboat Springs Water-Quality Assessment and Macroinvertebrate Data for the Upper Yampa River Watershed, Colorado, 1975 through 2009 Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5214 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey COVER: Yampa River at Steamboat Springs, Colorado, looking downstream. Steamflow is an estimated 104 cubic feet per second. Photograph by Nancy J. Bauch, U.S. Geological Survey, taken February 10, 2011. Water-Quality Assessment and Macroinvertebrate Data for the Upper Yampa River Watershed, Colorado, 1975 through 2009 By Nancy J. Bauch, Jennifer L. Moore, Keelin R. Schaffrath, and Jean A. Dupree Prepared in cooperation with Routt County, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the City of Steamboat Springs Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5214 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2012 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment, visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 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Suggested citation: Bauch, N.J., Moore, J.L., Schaffrath, K.R., and Dupree, J.A., 2012, Water-quality assessment and macroinvertebrate data for the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, 1975 through 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5214, 129 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4 Study Area..............................................................................................................................................4 Hydrology and Water Resources ..............................................................................................6 Geology ..........................................................................................................................................9 Methods of Data Compilation, Review, and Analysis ..............................................................................9 Data Sources and Water-Quality Database ...................................................................................11 Data Quality Assurance .....................................................................................................................11 Data Aggregation ................................................................................................................................13 Censored Values .................................................................................................................................13 Water-Quality Standards ...................................................................................................................16 Temporal Trend Analysis ...................................................................................................................17 Water-Quality Assessment .........................................................................................................................18 Streams.................................................................................................................................................18 Physical Properties ...................................................................................................................18 Dissolved Solids and Major Ions .............................................................................................38 Nutrients ......................................................................................................................................41 Trace Elements and Uranium ...................................................................................................45 Coliform Bacteria .......................................................................................................................55 Suspended Sediment ................................................................................................................55 Lakes and Reservoirs .........................................................................................................................56 Groundwater ........................................................................................................................................61 Physical Properties ...................................................................................................................61 Dissolved Solids and Majors Ions ...........................................................................................67 Nutrients ......................................................................................................................................73 Trace Elements ...........................................................................................................................76 Macroinvertebrate Data .............................................................................................................................83 Synthesis of Water-Quality Data in the Upper Yampa River Watershed ............................................85 Summary........................................................................................................................................................87 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................90 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................91 Appendix 1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency STORET edit-checking procedure of low and high values for selected water-quality properties and constituents from the Upper Yampa River watershed water-quality database. ..................................................95 Appendix 2. Selected Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in-stream water-quality standards for stream segments in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado. ..........................................................................................................................................97 Appendix 3. Description of selected stream sampling sites in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, with type of water-quality data collected, period of water- quality record, and number of samples collected, 1975 through 2009.. ..............................100 Appendix 4. Description of selected lake and reservoir sampling sites in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, with type of water-quality data collected, period of water-quality record, and number of sample days, 1985 through 2009... ............................110 iv Appendix 5. Description of selected groundwater sampling sites in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, with geologic unit description, type of water- quality data collected, period of water-quality record, number of samples collected, and constituents with exceedances of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment water-quality standards for groundwater, 1975 through 1989 and 1998.... ............................................................................................................................112 Appendix 6. Description of stream sites in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, that have macroinvertebrate data, and period of water-quality record and number of sample days, 1975 through 2008 ............................................................................................126 Figures 1. Location of the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado .....................................................3 2. Land cover in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado, 2001 .......................................5 3. Location of selected stream-water sampling sites and active, water year 2010, streamgage stations, Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado ..........................................7 4. Mean monthly streamflow for 2005 through 2008 for selected streamgage stations in the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado ......................................................9 5. Geology of the Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado ....................................................11 6. Distribution of specific conductance, pH, acid neutralizing capacity, and concentrations of dissolved sulfate and dissolved manganese in stream water, by subwatershed, Upper Yampa River watershed, Colorado,