WSP09756

• File Number: 8200.760
• Description: Yampa River General
• State: CO
• Basin: Yampa/White
• Water Division: 6
• Date: 4/1/1978
• Author: USGS
• Title: Hydrologic Reconnaissance of the Yampa River During Low Flow - Dinosaur National Monument - Northwestern Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

002902

United States Department of the Interior

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water Resources Division
Box 25046 Colorado District
Denver Federal Cenrer Mail Stop 415
Denver. Colorado 80225
May 4, 1978

IN REPLY REFER TO:

INFORMATION FOR THE PRESS:

Subject: HYDROLOGIC RECONNAISSANCE OF THE YAMPA RIVER DURING LOW FLOW
IN DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, NORTHWESTERN COLORADO

Release Date: IMMEDIATELY

For additional information, contact:

R. U. Grozier, Acting District Chief
U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division
Box 25046, Mail Stop 415
Denver Federal Center
Lakewood, CO 80225
Telephone: [phone]

A hydrologic reconnaissance of a 74-kilometer reach of the Yampa River in
Dinosaur, National Monument was made by personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey
during low 'flow in mid-August 1976. Stream discharge, which was measured along
this reach every 16 to 24 kilometers,' ranged from 9.4 to 10.6 cubic meters per
second. Variations in streamflow were explained, in part, by underflow, loss
to ground water, and evaporation. Specific conductance was measured about
every 2 kilometers and indicated a downstream increase on the order of 11 to
12 percent for the reach. Except for mercury, bottom-sediment trace-element
concentrations in the study reach were less than maximum concentrations deter-
mined during August-September 1976 for bottom sediments at unperturbed sites
upstream in the Yampa River basin. ' At one of five sampling sites, the mercury
concentration in bottom sed1ments was 0.35 microgram per gram, which exceeded
the maximum measured upstream level.

The results of the hydrologic reconnaissance are summarized in U.S. Geo-
logical Survey Open-File Report 78-226, "Hydrologic reconnaissance of the Yampa
River during low flow, Dinosaur National Monument, northwestern Colorado," by
Timothy D. Steele, Dennis A. Wentz, and James W. Warner. The report is not
available for general distribution, but it may be purchased from: Open-File
Services Section, Branch of Distribution, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25425,
Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225. (Telephone: [phone].) Or,
the report may be examined only at the following U.S. Geological Survey offices:

1. Colorado District Office, Water Resources Division, Room H-2103,
Building 53, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, Colo. (Mailing address: Box
25046, Mail Stop 415, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO ~-;::1Il,,..!r;-;JnCJq~

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hL MAY IJ 1978L):

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NATURAL RESOURCES