Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service Review of Available Water-Quality Data for the Southern Colorado Plateau Network and Characterization of Water Quality in Five Selected Park Units in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, 1925 to 2004 110° 40° Colorado River UTAH Dirty Devil River Colorado River COLORADO Escalante River Paria River Lake Powell Glen Canyon National Yucca House Recreation Area National Monument Rio Grande San Juan River Rainbow Bridge Animas River National Monument Mesa Verde National Park San Juan River Navajo National Colorado River Monument Aztec Ruins k Grand Canyon Little Colorado River Cree Chinle National Monument National Park Canyon de Chelly National Monument Chaco River Hubbell Trading Post Chaco Culture Rio Grande Wupatki National National Historic Site National Historical Park Monument Chaco Wash Sunset Crater Volcano Bandelier National National Monument Monument Walnut Canyon National Monument Rio Puerco Petrified Forest El Morro National Petroglyph National National Park Monument Monument Little Colorado River El Malpais National Monument 35° ARIZONA r e v i R o Puerc Rio Salinas Pueblo Missions e d r NEW MEXICO e er National Monument V v i S R alt Rio Grande Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5130 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Review of Available Water-Quality Data for the Southern Colorado Plateau Network and Characterization of Water Quality in Five Selected Park Units in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, 1925 to 2004 By Juliane B. Brown Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5130 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 citation: Brown, J.B., 2008, Review of available water-quality data for the Southern Colorado Plateau Network and characterization of water quality in five selected park units in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah, 1925 to 2004: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5130, 118 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................2 Description of the Southern Colorado Plateau Study Area ...................................................................2 Compilation of Data ......................................................................................................................................5 Analysis of Data .............................................................................................................................................6 Computation of Descriptive Statistical Measures ..........................................................................7 Comparison to State Water-Quality Standards................................................................................7 Overview of Water Quality and Southern Colorado Plateau Network Park Units ..............................7 Available Water-Quality Data for Parks ............................................................................................7 Water-Quality Issues Identified by Parks .......................................................................................10 Impaired Waters .................................................................................................................................15 Characterization of Water Quality for Five Southern Colorado Plateau Network Park Units ........15 Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico ................................................................................16 Geology ........................................................................................................................................16 Water Resources .......................................................................................................................18 Available Water-Quality Data ..................................................................................................20 Characterization of Water Quality ...........................................................................................21 Surface-Water Quality ....................................................................................................21 Field Properties ........................................................................................................22 Major Ions .................................................................................................................30 Nutrients ....................................................................................................................30 Other Constituents ...................................................................................................32 Trace Elements .........................................................................................................34 Water Quality of Springs ..................................................................................................34 Field Properties ........................................................................................................34 Major Ions .................................................................................................................36 Nutrients ....................................................................................................................36 Trace Elements, Radionuclides, and Volatile Organic Compounds ................37 Summary of Surface-Water and Springs Characterization and Considerations for Monitoring ...............................................................................................................39 Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona ............................................................................39 Geology ........................................................................................................................................40 Water Resources .......................................................................................................................40 Available Water-Quality Data ..................................................................................................42 Characterization of Water Quality ...........................................................................................44 Field Properties .................................................................................................................44 Major Ions ..........................................................................................................................49 Nutrients .............................................................................................................................49 Bacteriological Data ........................................................................................................50 Other Constituents ............................................................................................................50 Trace Elements ..................................................................................................................51 iv Summary of Surface-Water Characterization and Considerations for Monitoring ........51 Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico .................................................................51 Geology ........................................................................................................................................51 Water Resources .......................................................................................................................53 Available Water-Quality Data ..................................................................................................53 Characterization of Water Quality ...........................................................................................54 Field Properties .................................................................................................................55 Major Ions ..........................................................................................................................61 Nutrients ............................................................................................................................61 Other Constituents ............................................................................................................62