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<br />2009 <br />total-recoverable metal concentrations downstream from Granite was due to the increased panitioning of metals <br /> <br />. to the paniculate phase and the resuspension of metal-laden sediment. Total-recoverable metal concentrations in <br /> <br />the Arkansas River vary proponionally with suspended-sediment concentrations, which increase with increasing <br /> <br />streamflow (Lewis and Edelmann, 1994). During the other three flow regimes, total-recoverable metal <br /> <br />concentrations tended to peak at Empire Gulch, below the Leadville mining district, and decreased downstream. <br /> <br />Stream velocities during snowmelt runoff typically are quite large and resuspend and transport substantial <br /> <br />amounts of metal-laden sediment, whereas during the other three flow regimes, velocities are smaller and <br /> <br />incapable of transporting substantial metal loads. <br /> <br />Figure 4 near here. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />During most flow regimes, dissolved Cd, Fe, Mn, and Zn concentrations were generally largest at Empire <br /> <br />Gulch and decreased downstream (Figure 5) due to dilution by Lake Creek and increased partitioning to the <br /> <br />particulate phase in the downstream direction. The largest concentrations of dissolved Cd, Fe, Mn, and Zn tended <br /> <br />to occur during pre-snowmelt runoff. During pre-snowmelt runoff in April, streamflow begins to increase, as <br /> <br />lower elevation snowmelt commences and begins to /lush the abandoned mines. mine dumps, and tailing piles of <br /> <br />metal-enriched water. The volume of water that actually /lows into the river during the pre-snowmelt season is <br /> <br />relatively small, but because flow in the river is also small, the impact on metal concentrations can be substantial. <br /> <br />Dissolved Cu and Pb concentrations behave differently and tended to be largest during snowmelt runoff, with <br /> <br />their maximum concentrations occurring below Empire Gulch. Dissolved Cu and Pb concentrations remained <br /> <br />somewhat elevated downstream to about Nathrop or WellsviIIe (Figure 5). <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />10 <br />