|
streamflow is at its minimum, the predominant ions are
<br />sodium and sulfate. The predominant ions are calcium and
<br />bicarbonate during the high streamflow months, April-July.
<br />Annual monotonic-trend analysis for 1951-83 indicated
<br />a significant increase in median annual streamflow of 6,440
<br />acre-ft/yr and a marginally significant increase in median
<br />annual dissolved-solids load of 1,310 tons/yr (table 8).
<br />During the 33 years of record, these increases represent a
<br />71-percent change in median annual streamflow and a
<br />50-percent change in median annual load.
<br />Green River near Jensen, Utah (site 41)
<br />Streamflow at site 41 (table 3, pl. 1) is a mixture of
<br />water released from Flaming Gorge Reservoir and water
<br />from the Yampa River. The decreased seasonal variability
<br />and enhanced low flows since 1962 are shown in figure 18D,
<br />but the figure also shows the substantial input from the
<br />(Yampa River during the snowmelt-runoff season. Mean
<br />annual streamflow averages about 3.2 million acre-ft, and
<br />mean annual flow-weighted dissolved-solids concentration
<br />is 341 mg/L (table 7). The Yampa River dilutes the dissolved-
<br />solids concentration of the Green River by about 150 mg/L.
<br />Calcium, bicarbonate, and sulfate are the predominant ions
<br />during the high-flow season. Calcium, sodium, and sulfate
<br />predominate during the low-flow season. The period of
<br />record (1962-83) for dissolved solids coincides with the
<br />period following completion of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
<br />No statistically significant trends were detected for this
<br />postintervention period.
<br />Duchesne River at Duchesne, Utah (site 42)
<br />Site 42 (table 3, pl. 1) is upstream from most of the
<br />irrigated land in the Duchesne River basin. Streamflow is
<br />depleted by the Duchesne Tunnel and by the diversions to
<br />Starvation Reservoir, which was completed in 1970, a few
<br />months before water-quality sampling was discontinued at
<br />the site. Mean annual flow-weighted dissolved-solids con-
<br />centrations were not large, averaging 189 mg/L during water
<br />years 1962-69 (table 7). Calcium and bicarbonate are the
<br />predominant ions throughout the year. Streamflow at site 42
<br />probably has decreased since 1970, because of offstream
<br />storage in Starvation Reservoir.
<br />Duchesne River near Randlett, Utah (site 43)
<br />Streamflow at site 43 (table 3, pl. 1) near the mouth
<br />of the Duchesne River is greatly depleted by transbasin ex-
<br />ports and by consumptive use for irrigation. A considerable
<br />part of the base flow comes from agricultural return flows
<br />(fig. 18E). Mean annual streamflow is about 43 percent
<br />greater than at site 42, but mean annual dissolved-solids load
<br />increases fivefold, averaging 351,000 tons during 1957-83
<br />(table 7). Streamflow is lowest and dissolved-solids concen-
<br />tration is highest during August through October. The mean
<br />annual flow-weighted dissolved-solids concentration at site
<br />43 is 650 mg/L (table 7). Sodium and sulfate are the predomi-
<br />nant ions most of the year; calcium and bicarbonate also
<br />become predominant during the high flow months (May-
<br />July). Most of the dissolved-solids load, especially dissolved
<br />sodium and sulfate, may be from irrigation-return flow
<br />through the Tertiary Uinta and Duchesne River Formations,
<br />which contain gypsum and other evaporites (Mundorff,
<br />1977). Excess salinity in poorly drained agricultural soils
<br />has been increasing in magnitude in the basin. The dissolved-
<br />solids load at site 43 is the largest source of dissolved solids
<br />in the Green region. Furthermore, a large but unquantified
<br />dissolved-solids load from the lower Duchesne River basin
<br />enters the Green River by means other than the Duchesne
<br />River (Mundorff, 1977).
<br />Because the enlarged part of Strawberry Reservoir
<br />had not been filled by 1983, annual step-trend analyses did
<br />not indicate any statistically significant trends. Annual
<br />monotonic-trend analyses for the entire period of record
<br />(1957-83) also did not indicate any statistically significant
<br />trends.
<br />White Subregion
<br />The White subregion includes a drainage area of about
<br />5,000 mil. The headwaters of the White River are in the
<br />White River uplift, which is composed primarily of relatively
<br />insoluble Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks. The lower parts
<br />of the White subregion have abundant outcrops of relatively
<br />soluble Cretaceous and Tertiary sedimentary rocks, but
<br />dissolved-solids load is not large because little runoff is
<br />generated. About 33,000 acres is irrigated, including large
<br />tracts near the river upstream from Meeker, Colo., that are
<br />underlain by Mancos Shale. No transbasin exports occur
<br />from the White subregion, and no large reservoirs exist in
<br />the subregion.
<br />Many drilling operations for oil and gas have occurred
<br />throughout the subregion. A major point source of dissolved
<br />solids existed in the Meeker Dome area, just north of the
<br />White River upstream from Meeker, Colo. Highly saline
<br />water from deep aquifers was seeping upward through aban-
<br />doned and improperly plugged oil exploration wells drilled
<br />during the 1920's. Water from the Pennsylvanian and Per-
<br />mian Weber Formation was postulated to be rising through
<br />the deeper wells and discharging through the relatively
<br />shallow Meeker well (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 1983).
<br />Flow of about 3.2 ft3/s that had a dissolved-solids concen-
<br />tration of 19,200 mg/L was measured at the Meeker well.
<br />The dissolved-solids load was 57,000 tons/yr, mostly as
<br />dissolved sodium and chloride (U. S. Department of the
<br />Interior, 1985). The well was plugged in October 1968. The
<br />next year, seepage again occurred in the area and had an
<br />estimated dissolved-solids load of 27,000 tons/yr. In 1980
<br />and 1981, three more abandoned wells were plugged. Water
<br />levels in observation wells declined, and the resulting
<br />decrease in dissolved-solids load was estimated to be 18,000
<br />tons/yr.
<br />White Subregion 43
|