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Entry Properties
Last modified
1/26/2010 12:33:33 PM
Creation date
10/11/2006 10:46:17 PM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
Water Supply Protection
File Number
8200.766
Description
Gunnison River General
State
CO
Basin
Gunnison
Water Division
4
Date
1/1/1994
Author
USGS
Title
Physical-Chemical and Biological Data for Detailed Study of Irrigation Drainage in the Uncompahgre Project Area and in the Grand Valley - West Central Colorado - 1991-92
Water Supply Pro - Doc Type
Report/Study
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<br />fish and wildlife or (2) may limit the suitability of water <br />for beneficial uses. The duration of reconnaissance <br />investigations is about 2 years. Detailed studies are ini- <br />tiated if reconnaissance investigations indicate that <br />potentially serious water-quality problems are related <br />to irrigation drainage. The purpose of the detailed stud- <br />ies is to gather sufficient infonnation to provide the sci- <br />entific understanding needed for development of <br />reasonable alternatives to mitigate or resolve identi fied <br />problems. The purpose of planning is to develop coor- <br />dinated action with appropriate Federal, State, and <br />local agencies for cleanup. The final phase involves <br />implementation of corrective actions developed during <br />planning. <br /> <br />A reconnaissance investigation of the <br />Uncompahgre Project (irrigated area outlined in fig. 1 <br />and pI. I), which is a BOR irrigation project. and of <br />Sweitzer Lake documented elevated concentrations of <br />selenium in some water, bottom-sediment, and biota <br />samples collected in 1987-89 (Butler and others, 1991). <br />Because of the limited scope of reconnaissance inves- <br />tigations, source areas and distribution of selenium in <br />irrigated areas of the Uncompahgre Project were not <br />detennined nor were effects on biota documented. <br />Also, trace-element data were not collected in other <br />irrigated areas in the lower Gunnison River Basin that <br />are adjacent to or upstream from the Uncompahgre <br />Project. Based on results of the reconnaissance inves- <br />tigation, a detailed study of irrigation drainage in the <br />Uncompahgre Project was initiated in 1991. The <br />detailed study of the Uncompahgre Project (fig. 1) was <br />expanded to include other irrigated areas in the lower <br />Gunnison River Basin either adjacent to or upstream <br />from the Uncompahgre Project. Therefore. the <br />"Uncompahgre Project area" includes the irrigated area <br />served by the Uncompahgre Project and selected drain- <br />age basins adjacent to or upstream from the <br />Uncompahgre Project. <br /> <br />The BOR identified irrigation drainage from the <br />Grand Valley (fig. I) as a large source of salt to the <br />Colorado River (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 1978). <br />Irrigated land in the Grand Valley (fig. 1) is served by <br />Federal and private irrigation systems. The geologic <br />unit that is the source of the salt in the Grand Valley is <br />a marine shale (the Mancos Shale), and selenium prob- <br />lems associated with irrigation on marine shales have <br />been documented in other irrigated areas in the Western <br />States (See and others, ] 992; Stephens and others, <br />] 992). Also, historical selenium data for the Colorado <br />and Gunnison Rivers indicate that the Grand Valley <br />may be contributing substantial quantities of selenium <br />to the Colorado River. There are similarities of cli- <br />mate, physiography, and geology between the Grand <br /> <br />Valley and the Uncompahgre Project area; therefore, <br />the Grand Valley was included in the detailed study. <br /> <br />Purpose and Scope <br /> <br />This report presents physical, chemical, and bio- <br />logical data collected for the detailed study of the <br />Uncompahgre Project area (pI. ]) and of the Grand Val- <br />ley (pI. 2) during 199]-92. Additional water-quality <br />data collected by the USGS at six streamflow-gaging <br />stations on the Gunnison, Uncompahgre, and Colorado <br />Rivers during ]99] and ]992 also are included in this <br />report. Tables are presented that include data for onsite <br />measurements done at surface-water and ground-water <br />sites and concentrations of major constituents and trace <br />elements in surface-water, ground-water, bottom-sedi- <br />ment, bedrock, aquifer-sediment, and various biologi. <br />cal samples. Based on results of the reconnaissance <br />investigation in ]987-89 (Butler and others, 199]), <br />selenium was the primary trace element of concern in <br />irrigation drainage in the study area. Data also are pre- <br />sented for stable isotopes, pesticides, clay and bulk <br />mineralogy of material from the Mancos Shale, sele- <br />nium speciation, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocar- <br />bons. Data collection primarily was in the irrigated <br />areas served by the Uncompahgre Project and in irri- <br />gated areas in the Grand Valley. Water and biota sam- <br />ples also were collected in irrigated areas in the lower <br />Gunnison River Basin that are adjacent to or upstream <br />from the Uncompahgre Project. In addition, historical <br />water-level and dissolved-solids data for two wells and <br />selected aquifer-test data collecled by the BOR in the <br />Grand Valley are presented. <br />Soil and alfalfa samples were collected in June <br />199] in irrigated areas in the Uncompahgre Project by <br />the USGS. Soil samples were analyzed for total sele- <br />nium, for selected trace elements, and for selected <br />water-extractable constituents, including water- <br />extractable selenium. Alfalfa samples were analyzed <br />for total selenium. The chemical results for the water- <br />extractable constituents in soils are listed in Stewart <br />and others (1993), and the chemical results for total <br />trace elements in soils and total selenium in alfalfa are <br />listed in 1.G. Crock and others, (U.S. Geological Sur- <br />vey, written commun., ] 994). <br /> <br />Acknowledgments <br /> <br />The authors thank numerous property owners in <br />the Uncompahgre Project area and in Ihe Grand <br />Valley for allowing access to their property for collec- <br />tion of samples. The authors Ihank Larry M. Fukui of <br /> <br />2 Physical. Chemical. and Blologtcat Dalalor Detailed Sludy 01 trrlgallon Drainage In Ihe Uncompahgra Project Araa and <br />In Ihe Grand Valley, Wesl-Cenlral Cotorado. 1991-92 <br />
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