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<br />Salinity in the Colorado River in the Grand Valley,
<br />Western Colorado, 1994-95
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<br />GTS
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<br />U.S. Department 01 the Interior-U.S. Geological Survey
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<br />S~linity in the Color~do River is highly dependent on streamflow. In general. high streamflow dilules salinity. and
<br />low streamflow increases salinity.
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<br />Expected high salinity during periods of low slreamflow in late Summer might partially be offset by reservoir
<br />releases in the Upper Color~do River Basin upslream from the Grand Valley.
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<br />S"linity during the irrigation season did not exceed the 700-850 milligrams per liter threshold in the Colorado
<br />River near the points of diversion for Grand Valley irrigators.
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<br />. Irrigation return flows from the Grand Valley increase salinity in lhe Colorado River.
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<br />Introduction
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<br />Sahruty. \lr Ihe UiSSI'Ivl'li....ohd...
<br />L"tIIICl'lIlrallon. j~ Ihe Illl';t"urc 01 '-all'. \llch
<br />~l" ,odium chlorrde. calcIUm hlC<:uhnnate. and
<br />(aILiullI ..ulfall' Ihat arl' Uls...nlvt'd In ~~'ah:r
<br />AhoUl one-half of the sallnllY 111 lhe
<br />Ct1Illf;J(hl f<1\'l7f Ba.\illl' tflllllllalur,d '\Jun.:c,
<br />(U.S Ikp,lnl111'1l1 of'lhl' IrllL'rlt'r. [IN,)). such
<br /><I.... rhermal ...pring... III the (jkl1\\t>tld-[)pl....~ro
<br />,lrl.'J, J(IL.<tll.:L1 .Ihlltlll){) I1llk"'1IIhlre.1I1111(1I11
<br />Gr;lIId hlllCII(l1I (lIt; I). Elkct... 01 hUI\\~lI
<br />,IClivltle", \ueh ;1'" IHlgatllHl. IC\L'I\(111 l'V;lrll-
<br />rCitlun, ,\Ill..! lC.H':-h.ISlll divl'l,\llll)". h,II'L'
<br />m~'lea~cd Ihl' kvd...of,,;t[III1IY In ItrL'CllloraJo
<br />l{IYCr i\1t:h \;tlinlly e<Jn :Irfl'CI lIIUll"lJl,tl ,1Ild
<br />IIlLllllelp;!1 Walt.:r u...ers hy .:all"lng Illlrl';J",~u
<br />waler-!rC..llll1l'nl co...!.... It1(rC;J..l'U dCleriorJlion
<br />ur plulnl1lng and arrlt;:llln:". IIK-rl'il:-o.CU ...oap
<br />needs. ;Jlld undeSIrable laslc of drinking Willer.
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<br />.rea ,lor jt1F.:-l\t::Jl
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<br />n,'''..n ....rnng'
<br />__________ '-______. PIld'l"
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<br />111gb :-;Jlll1Ily ;JJ:.;o c<.Jn cau...e Iowa crop Ylekl.s
<br />0)' reulIclll~ wall:r alld nutfll'lll upl,lkc hy
<br />pl;1I1t... and C;Jn 1Ih.:n:a...c .lgnclIllllr,L! prOulIctl(l1l
<br />CO"I... hCC,lll"'L' or higl1a 1e;ldllng ;lt1d
<br />lIr<.Jlnag.l' re.:4uirctllcnt"i. Agricullural ItIS"iC.'"
<br />IlllglllllcclIr u:l1l'n ....;dlmly rl'ache... J.Oolll
<br />71)(J--H501l1illlgr;JIll'" pCI' IIIe.:r(U.S lkp;1l1JllCnt
<br />\II" Ihe Inlcflor. ll}')-Il
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<br />The.: CnJiIf:.Jdo R I Vel" i" lhl' tll:lJor "'OLlrce
<br />III' Irri1'.OIIIIIll wal..:r h~ Ihl.." Glantl Vall!.:)' Ilig,. ,\
<br /><llld .d...o r-.. Illll' .'-llllleL' (II w,ller lor rilL' CJil"ton
<br />WalL'r 1)1"1I11.:1. which "llPplie... Jullle....li..: waleI'
<br />lu P;lrI o! llll' e:l..lcrll GrmHJ V;tlky DUflng
<br />"'plll1g artJ l';lrly "11l111l1el III I(N.J. IIlL' Cuhl-
<br />radII R.i\I.'1 111111..: (;l:.Jnd V<llky h,ld l\IWI.:I lh:m
<br /><Jvt.'r.cgt.' "ItL':.JlllllllW Thert.' w;r-.. t.:OIlt.:Cftl hy
<br />w,llcr ll"'l'r.. ,(O~l~(t III..: \.'ll':l"t of llll' Ill\\' "'lrl'afTl-
<br />Ihlw on ,,:JlillllY In lh.... !lve.:r. In 1(14-1. lhl' U..s.
<br />Gcol\l~lLa\ Survey {USGS). In nl\lperalltlll
<br />with the Cnl(lrado Rivcr Water Cm"'l'rV;JllOn
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<br />EX PLANA liON
<br />D IRRIGA TED AREA
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<br />.4 WATER-QUALITY I'
<br />SAMPLING SI TE A.ND \
<br />NUMBER ~~
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<br />o ~ o.A'I.ES
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<br />o ~ K;ILOo.AETERS
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<br />Figure 1, Irngaled area In tile Grand Valley and locahons 01 samphng sItes lor the 1994-95
<br />salinIty studY of the Colorado Rlyel
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<br />1)1....ln.:l. hC~;Jn a "tuLly 10 l'....dUJlL ":.JlmilY III
<br />IhL ('clhlrddcl RIver TIn-; 1"<11.:1 ',I1..:C\ d.......lOhL,...
<br />re.:....uJ'" Illllral "hlCly. The '11<'CIIIC IlhJC'cln'L'" of
<br />[he t,\ct ',11..:..:\ ,ITI.." m (,) COlllparl' "alinilY 111 lhc
<br />COhlr;tU(I R(ver among. dlffl.."rem l\\...:au\\n"
<br />fT\l1ll (',HIlL'plo the CO!c1t"<lu(I.Ul:.Jh SI<l!L'IIIIL.
<br />(2) :.J":-o.C":- v;lflations in salmilY for Jlffe.:rclll
<br />limc..I,llhL' Yl'ar, :IOU (.1) lk...~.llhc lhl.' rl'lalilltl
<br />hClwcel1 ''In':.Jllllltl\\, and ,,:dllltl} 111 [hI.' liver
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<br />Sampling Sites and
<br />Data Collection
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<br />J-:r.~11! "'11(''' pt} [he C(lhlr,IJll Kn'cl \~l'll.'
<br />...ckl.'!L'd r,l[ \\:.Jler-qll'-lllty "',IJ1ll'tlll~. l.ll(;l-
<br />\\\\11-. III '-<llI\p1in:b ....1I1.".S ~\rl' :.IH\"~1l In hpllC I
<br />SilL' idcIllltlc;Ulnn <.JnJ lo...:atto!\ dC"'(llpII\\n,
<br />;IlL' ji....!eu in tahk I S..llllplL:.. \\'('re l:olleLleu <Jl
<br />two fTl'l\uenl:\I:s. V,,'cd;.{y ',ample.. \\l'rt.' L'pl
<br />IeCleu "I Sll..:... I through 5 from July J IN..\
<br />through tht::.lirs\ week of Novl'n1oer IYl},,\
<br />/lahk I) f(lr dcterrlllnallon of ...:tllll1IY. SUC;II11-
<br />i\nw \\",1" tlIL:;lsur....d :11 the [illll' or "':1Il1pk
<br />....OIlCl"lHlll. MOlllhly ...amrle" WL'IL c(llkclcd ,tl
<br />all elgh[ ...1(1.'-" from July Jl}94 thnlugh April
<br />1f.}l)5. Monthly samples werc anaJ}l~J ftll
<br />...allllll.\' ,ml! for concclllr:.Jlion"i 01 maJllr illrh
<br />...lIl.:h ;1" calnum. magnesiulIl. rll[<.l"~lllm.
<br />";OUI\JIll. chl<lridl'. ...uli"alC'. :1lld Olc:.JrOtltl:.J!L'
<br />(c:<prl.,.."cd 01"; alblltlil)'l. nec::J.ll';": nf hC~I\)'
<br />SllO\\.p;ICl.... IIlL'rL' W;!... IhL' pOlentl:.J1 till' high
<br />...lr~:.Jll1l1(l\\, III [he Ctllor:Ido Rl\"~( nn,;; (\.I.(\(\\l
<br />III 1945 ThC'rl'forl'. monlhly s;Jll1pling wa...
<br />rOnllnuculhrough SCptem~T \IN) ;\1 ;JI\ ...ill....
<br />except "Ill'''' 2 and 4. I hgh slreamJlllw during
<br />summc( 144) pro"'ldcLl a nOI:.Jhh: C(lnlrast l(l
<br />the l(lw lIow"i uf 11,)94 for e\ampk.:.J( lbe
<br />g.aging :-\o.lliLln at sile.: ltColl.lr<tuo Ri\'Lr n!.:;!r
<br />Carnell I. ,1\"Cf:.Jge <;lreJllIJlow Jill' July I tN"
<br />wa... an\IUl ..;even llllles gre;IlL'1 lhan J\"c.:r.I~l'
<br />...lre.:Lllllllov.' till' July r41,)-t.lIi:; ~l. All "',II!.:I'
<br />qULllity :md 'Ir!.:amf1o\\" t.ILlIJ n1lle(l..:d l(lr Ill...
<br />"iludy ,ltL puhhshcd ill USGS armu,ll d..\l,l
<br />n:ptlfl'- t(lr COltll;tJ(1 (lI~I,ltllJ '-lflJ \Ilh~'r...
<br />14)\J5. ('11'\\ 11101 ;1I1d olher". II-N(1\.
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