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<br />SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION RELATED TO POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS
<br />TO PUEBLO RESERVOIR
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<br />Potential contaminants to Pueblo Reservoir include inbasin contaminants
<br />and transportation-related contaminants. Contaminants that enter waterways
<br />in the upper Arkansas River basin may degrade the quality of water in the
<br />Arkansas River, which in turn may affect the quality of water in Pueblo
<br />Reservoir. Locations of potential sources of contaminants are shown on
<br />plate 1 and were compiled from Colorado Department of Health discharge per-
<br />mits. Numerous wastewater treatment plants and metal mines discharge water
<br />into the Arkansas River or tributary streams. Because the basin is not
<br />densely populated, discharges from wastewater treatment plants are small, and
<br />the effects on stream quality are diminished as stream flows dilute the waste-
<br />water. However, municipal and industrial wastewater may have greater affects
<br />on water quality in the river, and, therefore, on water quality in the
<br />reservoir in the future if: (1) Water use in the basin changes, (2) water
<br />exchanges occur, (3) streamflows diminish, or (4) substantial municipal and
<br />industrial growth occurs. Currently (1986), the greatest threat of contam-
<br />ination in the basin probably is from the metal mines that discharge to the
<br />streams in the vicinity of Leadville.
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<br />As the number of shipments of hazardous materials increases throughout
<br />Colorado and throughout the basin, the chance of accidental transportation-
<br />related spills increases. Ten billion pounds of hazardous materials are
<br />transported on Colorado highways each year in about 50,000 shipments (Florence
<br />Phillips, attorney, Governor's office, written commun., 1986). During 1984,
<br />3,354 shipments of hazardous materials were transported from the State by
<br />rail, and 10,192 shipments by rail terminated in the State (Association of
<br />American Railroads, written commun.) 1986).
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<br />Identification of the types of hazardous materials transported throughout
<br />the State and the upper Arkansas River basin and the frequency at which they
<br />are being transported has been difficult. Required placards placed on the
<br />vehicles indicate the category of hazardous materials, such as flammable
<br />liquid, or solid, flammable or nonflammable gas, poison gas, explosives,
<br />irritant, or corrosive. However, according to a disaster services official,
<br />laws governing placarding of motor vehicles are extensively violated and
<br />disaster services personnel occasionally have to deal with unauthorized mixed
<br />loads. A statewide, hazardous-material transportation survey by the Colorado
<br />State Port of Entry Division from August 26 to August 30, 1985, determined
<br />that 6 percent of the surveyed vehicles that haul hazardous materials violated
<br />Federal placarding requirements (Port of Entry Division, Department of
<br />Revenue, written commun., 1986).
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<br />Numerous contacts with Federal, State, railroad, and motor-vehicle
<br />officials, civil defense agencies, Port of Entry Division, Colorado State
<br />Patrol, County disaster services agents, and hazardous-materials response
<br />teams indicate that detailed information on the transportation and frequency
<br />of shipments is unavailable. Some officials have indicated that every type of
<br />material listed in the "Code of Federal Regulations, [Title] 49, Transporta-
<br />tion, Parts 100 to 177," Office of the Federal Register (1984), is transported
<br />through Colorado and through the Arkansas River basin, with the exception of
<br />nuclear warheads. County disaster-services officials indicate that motor
<br />vehicles causing the greatest concern have been petroleum tankers.
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