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<br />Water quality in drains and creeks in watershed- <br /> <br />low <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />0557 <br /> <br />Aquatic and wildlife habitat quality- <br /> <br />decreasing <br /> <br />Heavy metal levels in Arkansas River- <br /> <br />high, <br /> <br />The average uranium concentration in <br />ground water. <br /> <br />19.4 micro grams <br />per liter. <br /> <br />There are significant opportunities to improve the environment within <br />the watershed. Analysis of the watershed identified the problems <br />discussed in this section. The problems are similar over the entire <br />irrigated acreage and the drains that contribute the pollutants to the <br />Arkansas River. Management and enduring irrigation practices provide <br />the opportunities to reduce the heavy metals, sediment, nutrient and <br />pesticide problems in the watershed and downstream in the Arkansas <br />River. Wildlife and aquatic habitat is expected to improve through <br />practice installation. The resource base including 44,500 acres of <br />important farmland will be maintained which will help increase on farm <br />benefits through reduced farming inputs and better yields and thereby <br />improving the local economy. No land use change is anticipated, <br />including irrigated acreages. <br /> <br />2/ Reconnaissance Investigation of Water Quality, Bottom Sediment, and <br />Biota Associated With Irrigation Drainage in the Middle Arkansas River <br />Basin. USGS Water Resources Investigations Report 91-4060, Colorado <br />and Kansas, 1988-89. <br /> <br />3/ Uranium Waters of Southeastern Colorado: <br />Climate, and Land Use by Robert A. Zielinski <br />U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO. <br /> <br />A Function of Geology <br />and Sigrud Asher-Bolinder. <br /> <br />~/ Selenium In Agriculture, Agricultural Handbook No. 200, 1961 <br /> <br />2/ Aquatic Cycling of Selenium:, United States Department of the <br />Interior, USFWS Leaflet 12, 1987 <br /> <br />6/ Selenium in Agriculture and the Environment, Soil Science Society of <br />America, Special Publication #23, 1990. <br /> <br />19 <br />