8269

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8269
• Author: U.S. Geological Survey.
• Title: Chemical Characteristics of Bottom Sediments in the Colorado River Upstream from the Price-Stubb Diversion Dam near Palisade, Colorado, October-November 1998.
• USFW Year: 2000.
• USFW - Doc Type: USGS OFR 99-601,
• Copyright Material: NO

Chemical Characteristics of Bottom Sediments in the
Colorado River Upstream from the Price-Stubb Diversion
Dam near Palisade, Colorado, October-November 1998

INTRODUCTION

The Colorado River from Palisade upstream to Rifle,
Colorado, is a historical habitat for native fish. Some of
these fish, the Colorado River pikeminnow and the razor-
backed sucker, are currently on the threatened and endan-
gered list. Irrigation diversion dams built in the early
1900's have effectively cut off fish migration in the Colo-
rado River upstream from Palisade. The Price-Stubb diver-
sion dam is located just upstream from Palisade (fig. 1) and
currently is not in use. Removal of the Price-Stubb diver-
sion dam has been proposed by the Bureau of Reclamation
(BaR) to aid in the recovery efforts of the Colorado pike-
minnow and razorbacked sucker by allowing access to
historical habitat for spawning.
Removal of the dam could release fine sediments
(<0.0625 mm) that have been stored upstream from the
dam into the Colorado River. There is no information avail-
able about the chemical characteristics of these bottom-
material sediments. Because the Colorado River down-
stream from Palisade through the Grand Valley has been
designated as critical habitat for recovery of the Colorado
pikeminnow, the release of the sediments and possibly
toxic elements in interstitial water associated with removal

109'

108'45'

39'
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of the dam is a concern of the BaR. Municipal drinking-
water providers downstream are also concerned that release
of the sediments and possibly toxic elements could create a
public health hazard.
Information derived from the characterization of
these bottom-material sediments and associated interstitial
waters is needed for planning to avoid any potential
damage to threatened and endangered fish or municipal
drinking-water systems. Consequently, bottom-sediment
samples were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey as
part of a cooperative program with the BaR. The sampling
sites and data-collection activities and the chemical charac-
teristics are described in the following sections of the
report.

SAMPLING SITES AND DATA COLLECTION

Field reconnaissance determined that the finer
bottom materials were located along both banks of the
Colorado River from 100 to 300 feet upstream from the
diversion dam and ranged in depth from 2 to 20 inches. The
locations of the deeper deposits of fine material were
scattered and very random. Core samples of bottom-

108'15'

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5 MILES
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5 KILOMETERS

Figure 1. Location of the Grand Valley and the Price-Stubb diversion dam.

U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey

USGS OFR 99-601
February 2000