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<br />Dissolved oxygen levels were generally inversely related to water <br />temperatures, although dissolved oxygen exhibited a less consistent seasonal <br />trend. Average dissolved oxygen in the river decreased slightly downstream, <br />from 8.1 mg/L at Island Park to 7.4 mg/L at Ouray. In backwaters, average <br />dissolved oxygen was highest at 8.2 mg/L at Jensen, and lowest at 7.5 mg/L at <br />Ouray. pH was usually above 8.0. <br /> <br />Specific conductance increased downstream in the river and was generally <br />higher in backwaters than in the main river. Average specific conductance in <br />the main river in 1987 ranged from 659 ~S/cm at Island Park to 717 ~S/cm at <br />Ouray, while in 1988, specific conductance ranged from 731 ~S/cm at Island <br />Park to 772 ~S/cm at Ouray. In backwaters, average specific conductance <br />ranged from 685 ~S/cm at Jensen to 720 ~S/cm at Ouray, while in 1988, specific <br />conductance was highest at 1,154 ~S/cm in Jensen backwaters, and lowest at 772 <br />~S/cm in Ouray backwaters. High average specific conductance in Jensen <br />backwaters was due to the high values recorded in BA 300.5, during both the <br />regular 2 week sampling and with the continuous monitoring instrument. <br /> <br />Turbidity was greater in downstream backwaters but exhibited no consistent <br />seasonal pattern compared to the river. Turbidity averaged 37, 36, and 142 <br />NTU in the main river at Island Park, Jensen, and Ouray, respectively, in <br />1987, and 93, 61, and 49 NTU at these sites in 1988. In backwaters, average <br />seasonal turbidity was 32, 34, and 49 NTU at Island Park, Jensen, and Ouray, <br />respectively, while in 1988, turbidity averaged 27, 34, and 59 NTU at these <br />respective sites. <br /> <br />Slightly warmer water temperatures and greater nitrogen and phosphorus <br /> <br />3 <br />