REC-ERC-75-5 ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS POLLUTION IN THE UPPER ARKANSAS RIVER OF COLORADO By J. F. LaBounty J. J. Sartoris L. D. Klein E. F. Monk H. A. Salman September 1975 Applied Sciences Branch Division of General Research Engineering and Research Center Denver, Colorado UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR * BUREAU OF RECLAMATION ACKNOWLEDGMENT Funding and support for this project were provided by the Lower Missouri Region and the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project of the Bureau of Reclamation. Research was performed under the supervision of T. E. Backstrom, Head, Physical Sciences and Chemical Engineering Section; T. R. Bartley, former Head, Environmental Sciences Section, (now retired); and L. 0. Timblin, Jr., Chief, Applied Sciences Branch. This report was developed as a result of a study requested by the Bureau of Reclamation's Lower Missouri Region and Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. Dr. D. A. Hoffman, formerly of the Bureau of Reclamation; and L. M. Finnell of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Fort Collins, were the sources of unpublished data from 1971 to 1973 included in this report. D. L. Gallat of Colorado State University identified invertebrates collected in 1974, and calculated indices from these collections. Personnel from the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Dr. Eric Bergersen of the Fish and Wildlife Service Colorado Cooperative Fishery Unit at Colorado State University assisted in collecting fish. Special thanks to Mr. Homer Huntsinger, the property owner, and the American Sportsman Club, who lease the land, for allowing samples to be obtained at station AR-9. The information in this report regarding commercial products or firms may not be used for advertising or promotional purposes, and is not be be construed as endorsement of any product or firm by the Bureau of Reclamation. CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 1 Application 5 Historical Review .......5 Methods and Materials 8 Description of the Area ...... 8 General 8 Specific areas studied 8 Data Collection 23 Physical—chemical 23 Invertebrates 23 Fish .......................................................................................................................... 24 Methods of Analysis ......................................................................................................... 24 Water .......................................................................................................................... 24 Sediment ...................................................................................................................... 24 Fish 24 Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 25 Results and Discussion 25 Physical and Chemical 25 Field measurements .................................................................................................... 25 Water chemistry 35 Sediment chemistry .................................................................................................... 45 Invertebrates .................................................................................................................. 47 Diversity indices 47 Heavy metal content 53 Fish 58 Numbers and species composition 58 Heavy metal content 59 Conclusions 62 Literature Cited .....62 Appendixes .......................................................................................................................... 67 Appendix A—Water Chemistry ....................................................................................... 69 Appendix B—Streamf low ................................................................................................ 87 Appendix C-1974 Invertebrate Data .............................................................................. 101 Appendix D-1971-73 Invertebrate Data 115 CONTENTS—Continued LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Upper Arkansas River flow history 7 2 Averages of heavy metal concentrations in upper Arkansas River, Colorado for April-November 1974 ..... 44 3 Sediment heavy metal concentrations between stations AR-5 and AR-6 ............................................................................................ 47 4 Monthly and mean a values for 1974 invertebrate collections ....48 5 Monthly and mean a values for 1971-73 invertebrate collections ................... 49 6 Monthly and mean TCI' values for 1974 invertebrate collections ................... 50 7 Monthly and mean e values for 1974 invertebrate collections ....50 8 1974 monthly and mean invertebrate copper content .................................. 54 9 1974 monthly and mean invertebrate iron content ...................................... 54 10 1974 monthly and mean invertebrate lead content ...................................... 55 11 1974 monthly and mean invertebrate zinc content ...................................... 55 12 1974 monthly and mean invertebrate manganese content 56 13 1971-73 mean invertebrate metal content .................................................. 56 14 Comparison of heavy metal concentrations in water, fish, and invertebrates for May-November 1974 ..... 57 15 Invertebrate types represented in collections of 1971-73 and 1974 from the upper Arkansas River, Colorado ....57 16 Average heavy metal concentration in fish collected from the upper Arkansas River, Colorado, September 18, 1974 ........................................ 61 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Map of Fryingpan-Arkansas Project 3 2 Location map of stream-survey stations ..................................................... 9 3 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: station AR-1 ....1 0 4 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: stations AR-3 and AR-4 .... 11 5 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: station AR-5 ....12 6 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: station AR-6 .... 13 7 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: Mt. Massive Trout Club ....14 8 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: station AR-9 .... 15 9 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: station AR-10 .................................. 16 10 Aerial photo of upper Arkansas River: stations AR-7 and AR-8 17 11 East Fork of the Arkansas River looking upstream at station EF-3 18 12 East Fork of the Arkansas River looking northwest (downstream is to the left) at station EF-5 .......................................................................................... 18 13 Arkansas River looking downstream at station AR-1 .... 19 14 Arkansas River looking downstream (left) at station AR-3 ........................... 19 15 Arkansas River looking upstream at station AR-4 below the inflow of California Gulch ..................................................................... 20 16 Arkansas River looking upstream at station AR-5 below the inflow of Lake Fork ............................................................................ 20 17 Arkansas River looking downstream at station AR-6 at Snowden Overpass .... 21 18 Arkansas River looking northeast (upstream is to the left) at station AR-9, the Pan-Ark Bridge 21 ii CONTENTS—Continued Figure Page 19 Arkansas River looking upstream at station AR-10, just below the confluence at Box Creek ................................................................. 22 20 Arkansas River looking downstream at station AR-7 just above the confluence of Lake Creek 22 21 Arkansas River looking northeast (upstream is to the left) at station AR-8 just below the confluence of Lake Creek .............................. 23 22 Upper Arkansas River and Lake Fork water temperatures, 1973 ................... 26 23 Results of physical and chemical measurements at stations EF-3, EF-5, AR-1, and AR-3-1974 ................................................................. 27 24 Results of physical and chemical measurements at stations AR-4, AR-5, AR-6, and AR-9-1974 28 25 Results of physical and chemical measurements at stations AR-10, AR-7, and AR-8-1974 ......................................................................... 29 26 Results of physical and chemical measurements in May, June, July, and August-1974 ......................................................................... 30 27 Results of physical and chemical measurements in September, October, and November-1974 ............................................................. 31 28 Results of physical measurements at the USGS gage at Canon City, Colo.-1973 32 29 Seasonal mean flow for the upper Arkansas River, Colorado-1974 ............... 34 30 Heavy metal concentrations vs. flow at sampling stations EF-3, EF-5, AR-1, and AR-3-1974 ................................................................. 37 31 Heavy metal concentrations vs. flow at sampling stations AR-4, AR-5, AR-6, and AR-9-1974 38 32 Heavy metal concentrations vs. flow at sampling stations AR-10, AR-7, and AR-8-1974 ......................................................................... 39 33 Heavy metal concentrations at Granite and Canon City-1968 and 1973, respectively ................................................................................ 40 34 Heavy metal concentrations and flow April, May, June, and July 1974 41 35 Heavy metal concentrations and flow August, September, October, and November-1974 42 36 Average heavy metal concentrations April and November-1974 ................... 43 37 Average heavy metal content sediment May through November 1974 44 38 Mean values of a- from the Arkansas River, Colorado 51 39 Results of fish sampling of the