Water Quality in the Upper Crystal River and Coal Creek Basin Prepared for Roaring Fork Conservancy by Russ Walker, Ph.D. Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences Colorado Mesa University February 16, 2014 1 Contents Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 5 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Data used and site selection .................................................................................................. 7 1.2 Data analysis and presentation .............................................................................................. 9 2.0 Relevant watershed characteristics ......................................................................................... 11 3.0 Water quality – a primer ......................................................................................................... 13 3.1 What determines “water quality”? ...................................................................................... 13 3.1.1 Geochemical effects ..................................................................................................... 13 3.1.2 Atmospheric effects ..................................................................................................... 13 3.1.3 Biological effects ......................................................................................................... 14 3.1.4 The effect of point and non-point source pollution ..................................................... 14 3.1.5 The influence of streamflow ........................................................................................ 15 3.2 Water quality standards....................................................................................................... 16 4.0 Water quality parameters ........................................................................................................ 18 4.1 Temperature ........................................................................................................................ 18 4.2 Suspended solids ................................................................................................................ 20 4.3 pH ........................................................................................................................................ 22 4.4 Total dissolved solids and salinity ...................................................................................... 24 4.5 Dissolved oxygen ................................................................................................................ 26 4.6 Hardness .............................................................................................................................. 29 4.7 Alkalinity ............................................................................................................................ 31 4.8 Nitrogen .............................................................................................................................. 33 4.9 Phosphorous ....................................................................................................................... 35 4.10 Chloride............................................................................................................................ 36 4.11 Sulfur................................................................................................................................. 38 4.12 Cyanide ............................................................................................................................ 40 4.13 Boron................................................................................................................................ 40 4.14 Metals ............................................................................................................................... 41 4.14.1 Arsenic ...................................................................................................................... 42 4.14.2 Cadmium ................................................................................................................... 42 4.14.3 Chromium ................................................................................................................. 43 4.14.4 Copper ....................................................................................................................... 44 4.14.5 Iron ............................................................................................................................ 44 4.14.6 Lead........................................................................................................................... 47 4.14.7 Manganese ................................................................................................................ 48 4.14.8 Mercury ..................................................................................................................... 49 4.14.9 Nickel ........................................................................................................................ 49 4.14.10 Selenium ................................................................................................................. 50 4.14.11 Silver ....................................................................................................................... 51 4.14.12 Zinc ......................................................................................................................... 51 5.0 Water quality by Site .............................................................................................................. 52 5.1 Crystal River at Genter Mine Bridge (Site 1) .................................................................... 52 2 5.2 Crystal River upstream of Coal Creek (Site 2) .................................................................. 57 5.3 Crystal River below Redstone (Site 3) ............................................................................... 62 5.4 Crystal River above Penny Hot Springs (Site 4) ............................................................... 68 5.5 Crystal River above Avalanche Creek (Site 5) .................................................................. 72 5.6 Coal Creek upstream from Dutch Creek (Site 6) ............................................................... 78 5.7 Coal Creek downstream of Dutch Creek (Site 7) .............................................................. 80 5.8 Bear Creek at Coal Creek (Site 8)...................................................................................... 84 5.9 Coal Creek at Crystal River (Site 9) .................................................................................. 86 6.0 Site-to-Site comparisons ........................................................................................................ 91 6.1 Crystal River at Genter Mine Bridge (Site 1) versus Crystal River upstream of Coal Creek (Site 2) ....................................................................................................................................... 92 6.2 Crystal River upstream of Coal Creek (Site 2) versus Coal Creek at Crystal River (Site 9) ................................................................................................................................................... 92 6.3 Crystal River upstream of Coal Creek (Site 2) versus Crystal River below ....................... 94 Redstone (Site 3) ....................................................................................................................... 94 6.4 Crystal River below Redstone (Site 3) versus Crystal River above ................................... 95 Avalanche Creek (Site 5) .......................................................................................................... 95 7.0 Recommendations for future monitoring .............................................................................. 100 7.1 General water quality parameters and sampling locations ............................................... 100 7.2 Sediment load.................................................................................................................... 101 7.3 Macroinvertebrates ........................................................................................................... 102 8.0 References ............................................................................................................................. 103 3 Acknowledgements The following individuals contributed to this report: Brita Lancaster, Colorado Mesa University Environmental Science major, assistance in comparing Crystal River water quality data with state water quality standards. Rose Ann Sullivan, Kootenay Resources, LLC, provided editorial support for this report. This report could not have been completed without funding generously provided by Colorado Basin Roundtable, Colorado Water Conservation Board, and Pitkin County Healthy Rivers and Streams Fund. 4 Executive Summary The 363 square mile Crystal River Sub-watershed is located in the southwestern part of the Roaring Fork Watershed, extending from peaks in the Elk Mountain Range to the Town of Carbondale, where the Crystal River joins the Roaring Fork