Reconnaissance -^£j --,£. Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment, and Biota Associated with Irrigation Drainage in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basins and at Sweitzer Lake, West-Central Colorado, 1988-89 ^fflL /W//'ifM ^* r* U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4103 U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Bureau of Reclamation RECONNAISSANCE INVESTIGATION OF WATER QUALITY, BOTTOM SEDIMENT, AND BIOTA ASSOCIATED WITH IRRIGATION DRAINAGE IN THE GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER BASINS AND AT SWEITZER LAKE, WEST-CENTRAL COLORADO, 1988-89 by David L. Butler, U.S. Geological Survey, Richard P. Krueger, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Barbara Campbell Osmundson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Andrew L. Thompson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Steven K. McCall, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation US. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 91-4103 Prepared in cooperation with the US. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE and the U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION Denver, Colorado 1991 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can write to: be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Books and Open-File Reports Section Box 25046, Mail Stop 415 Box 25425, Mail Stop 517 Federal Center Federal Center Denver, CO 80225-0046 Denver, CO 80225-0425 CONTENTS Page Abstract------------------------------------------------ --------------- i Introduction------------------------------------------------------------- 3 Purpose and scope--------------------------------------------------- 4 Acknowledgments----------------------------------------------------- 6 Description of study area------------------------------------------------ 6 Location------------------------------------------------------------ 6 History----------- --------__--_____--___________________-------- 6 Physiography and climate-------------------------------------------- 8 Geology------------ -------- ______________________________________ 9 Soils and land use-------------------------------------------------- 9 Fish and wildlife resources----------------------------------------- 10 Hydrologic setting------------------------------------------------------- 11 Streams------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Uncompahgre Project------------------------------------------------- 16 Sweitzer Lake------------------------------------------------------- 17 Ground water-------------------------------------------------------- 18 Previous investigations-------------------------------------------------- 20 Water-quality data-------------------------------------------------- 20 Streams-- ---- --- --- -- 20 Sweitzer Lake-------------------------------------------------- 24 Ground water--------------------------------------------------- 24 Soil and bottom-sediment data--------------------------------------- 25 Biological data----------------------------------------------------- 26 Sample collection and analysis------------------------------------------- 29 Objectives-- - - --- - - - ---- - 29 Sampling sites and schedule of sample collection-------------------- 31 Sampling methods---------------------------------------------------- 34 Analytical support-------------------------------------------------- 35 Discussion of results---------------------------------------------------- 36 Water-Quality Results--- ---- - ------ -- ------ 35 Gunnison River------------------------------------------------- 38 Uncompahgre River---------------------------------------------- 41 Sweitzer Lake-------------------------------------------------- 42 Bottom-sediment results--------------------------------------------- 46 Biota results------------------------------------------------------- 49 Wildlife observations------------------------------------------ 49 Data interpretation-------------------------------------------- 50 Inorganic trace elements--------------------------------------- 51 Selenium in biota, Sweitzer Lake-------------------------- 51 Selenium in biota, Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers and tributaries--------------------------------------------- 58 Cadmium--------------------------------------------------- 60 Copper---------------------------------------------------- 60 Me rcury--------------------------------------------------- 61 Zinc 63 Pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) residues--------- 64 Correlation of constituents among water, bottom sediment, and biota------ 66 Summary and conclusions-------------------------------------------------- 66 Selected references------------------------------------------------------ 71 Supplemental data-------------------------------------------------------- 77 111 FIGURES Page Figure 1. Map showing location and major features of Gunnison and Uncompahgre River basins---------------------------- 5 2. Map showing location of sampling sites on streams and extent of irrigated area-------------------------------- 7 3. Schematic diagram of major streams, tributaries, reservoirs, and canals and movement of water------------ 12 4-7. Graphs showing: 4. Daily mean stream discharge for water year 1988, average daily mean stream discharge for water years 1966-87 at streamflow gaging station 09152500, Gunnison River near Grand Junction, and dates when water-quality samples were collected at site n-------------------------- 14 5. Daily mean stream discharge for water year 1988, average daily mean stream discharge for water years 1913-87, and dates when water-quality samples were collected at streamflow gaging station 09147500, Uncompahgre River at Colona (site 4)- 14 6. Daily mean stream discharge for water year 1988, average daily mean stream discharge for water years 1939-87, and dates when water-quality samples were collected at streamflow gaging station 09149500, Uncompahgre River at Delta (site 9) 15 7. Annual mean stream discharge at streamflow gaging station 09149500, Uncompahgre River at Delta, water years 1939-88 16 8. Map showing location of sampling sites at Sweitzer Lake--- 19 9-20. Graphs showing: 9. Concentrations of dissolved selenium at streamflow gaging station 09152500, Gunnison River near Grand Junction, 1975-88 23 10. Dissolved-solids concentrations in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988 39 11. Concentrations of dissolved selenium in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988------------------ 39 12. Concentrations of dissolved uranium in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988------------------ 40 13. Dissolved-solids concentrations for sites at -Sweitzer Lake, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988 43 14. Concentrations of dissolved selenium for sites at Sweitzer Lake, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988 44 15. Concentrations of dissolved uranium for sites at Sweitzer Lake, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988 44 IV Page Figures 9-20. Graphs showing Continued: 16. Summary statistics of selenium concentrations in whole-body fish samples----- ----------- -- -- 52 17. Mean concentrations of selenium in channel catfish samples from Sweitzer Lake (site 7)-- - ------- 54 18. Mean concentrations of selenium in biota samples from Sweitzer Lake (site 7) and the Gunnison River at Escalante State Wildlife Area (site 10) 56 19. Summary statistics of selenium concentrations in bird samples from Sweitzer Lake (site 7) and the Gunnison River at Escalante State Wildlife Area (site 10) 57 20. Summary statistics of mercury concentrations in whole-body fish samples ----- -____---__------_ 62 TABLES Page Table 1. Summary of selected total trace-element concentrations for Gunnison River at Delta, Uncompahgre River at Ridgway, and Uncompahgre River at Delta--------------------------- - 21 2. Summary of selected trace-element concentrations for streamflow gaging station 09152500, Gunnison River near Grand Junction ---- -- - - ----- - -- ------ ____ 22 3. Summary of selected water-quality data for samples collected from alluvial aquifers and aquifers in the Dakota Sandstone in the Uncompahgre River valley------------ 25 4. Summary of selected water-quality data for samples collected from the Mancos Shale in west-central Colorado---- 26 5. Geochemical data for selected trace elements in soils in irrigated areas near Delta and in the Grand Valley--- ----- 27 6. Mean selenium concentrations in flesh and liver samples in fish from Sweitzer Lake, 1974 and 1977 27 7. Selected trace-element data for whole-body fish samples collected from the Uncompahgre River and Ridgway Reservoir in 1987-88 28 8. Water-quality constituents analyzed in water, bottom sediment, and biota samples------------ --- - ---- ----- 30 9. Sampling sites and types of samples collected-- ------------- 31 10. Sample-collection schedule for water, bottom sediment, and biota, November 1987 and January, March, and July 1988---- 32 11. Water-use classifications and water-quality standards for selected constituents of the Colorado Department of Health, Water Quality Control Commission, for the Gunnison and Uncompahgre Rivers and for Sweitzer Lake--------- --------- 37 12. Baseline geochemical data for soils in the Western United States and for bottom-sediment samples collected for nine irrigation-drainage reconnaissance investigations----- ---- 47 13. Range of concentrations of selected trace elements in composite whole-body fish samples------