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Task 2: Gathering of Aquifer Properties and Ground Water Characteristics <br />Since 1999, an extensive field data gathering program has been conducted by Colorado State <br />University (CSU) throughout the alluvial valley of the LARB, including more intensive data <br />collection in two representative study regions: the Upstream Study Region and Downstream <br />Study Region (Figure 1), for characterizing the irrigated stream-aquifer system and for <br />calibrating and supporting computational models of the system'. Data collected in the study <br />regions include river flow and salinity concentrations; reservoir storage and releases; irrigation <br />diversions and efficiencies; canal flow salinity concentrations; drain and tributary flow and <br />salinity concentrations; canal seepage; physical properties of soils; aquifer characteristics; water <br />table depth and salinity; soil salinity; crops and crop yield; climate and crop water use; ground <br />water upflux to nonbeneficial consumptive use; selenium (Se), iron (Fe), uranium (U), and <br />specific salt ion concentrations; as well as return flows and salt/Se loads to the river and <br />tributaries. Data collection will continue in these LARB study regions at selected sites, as <br />outlined in this section. <br />Figure 1. Lower Arkansas River Valley showing the Upstream and Downstream Study Regions. <br />The proposed project also will launch new data collection activities in a representative region of <br />the UARB. It is proposed to design and initiate selected data monitoring activities within the <br />basin region stretching roughly from Clear Creek north of Buena Vista to the South Arkansas <br />River near Salida (Figures 2 and 3). This area is being considered for the following reasons: (1) <br />it is a key region of streamflow generation, containing several significant tributaries; (2) it <br />encompasses a considerable extent of alluvial deposits; (3) it includes significant irrigated <br />agriculture (supplied by canals and pumping wells), two of the largest municipalities in the <br />1 Gates, T. K., Labadie, J. W., and Garcia, L. A. (2006). "Toward Optimal Water Management in Colorado's Lower Arkansas River Valley: <br />Monitoring and Modeling to Enhance Agriculture and Environment;" Color ado Water Resour. Res. Inst., Completion Report No. 205, Colorado <br />Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Report TR06-10, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, C0, 2006. <br />3