Laserfiche WebLink
<br />The pattern of selenium concentrations shown in figure 9 is different <br />from the other constituents. The selenium concentration was low at the <br />upstream site and high in the tributaries, and the same dilution effect <br />occurred at site A2. The concentration increased at site A3, although <br />proportionally less than for the other constituents. The concentration then <br />decreased downstream from John Martin Reservoir (site A4) and increased only <br />slightly at the downstream sites. Selenium concentration may be affected by <br />some process occurring in John Martin Reservoir. The geologic sources of <br />selenium may not be as extensive downstream from the reservoir. <br /> <br />The patterns of sulfate, boron, and uranium concentrations also were <br />similar at the reservoir sites (fig. 10). All the reservoirs, except Pueblo <br />Reservoir (site R1), near the upstream end of the study area, seem to be <br />affected by runoff from marine-shale areas. Lake Meredith (site R2) and Lake <br />McKinney (site R5) seem to be affected to the greatest extent. Concentrations <br />in Lake Meredith were substantially higher than in the Arkansas River near <br />Nepesta (site A2), which is near the point of diversion for inflow to the <br />lake. Some other source, perhaps runoff from irrigated areas near the lake, <br />may be contributing constituent loads to the lake. A similar situation occurs <br />at Lake McKinney and may be contributing to concentrations that are somewhat <br />larger than inflow values. Little direct irrigation runoff accumulates in the <br />Great Plains Reservoirs (site R3) or John Martin Reservoir (site R4). Concen- <br />trations of sulfate, boron, and uranium at site R4 were similar to those <br />at stream sites A3, upstream, and A4, downstream from the reservoir. <br /> <br />Selenium concentrations were low (1-10 ~g/L) in all reservoir samples. <br />As indicated by the data upstream and downstream from John Martin Reservoir, <br />some processes may affect selenium concentration in reservoirs. If sllch a <br />process is occurring, dissolved selenium may be removed from the water and <br />possibly stored in the biota or bottom sediment. Oremland and others (1989) <br />have demonstrated the possibility of such a process involving bacterial <br />reduction of selenate under anoxic conditions. <br /> <br />The concentration patterns of all four constituents were similar to each <br />other in samples from the ground-water sites (fig. 11). Unlike the surface- <br />water sites, the highest concentrations occurred at the more upstream ground- <br />water sites. The sites that seem most affected by recharge from marine-shale <br />areas are at La Junta (site G1) and at Las Animas (site G2). These sites are <br />downstream from the Fort Lyon storage canal diversion and upstream from John <br />Martin Reservoir, which is the area where the largest increases in concentra- <br />tion were detected in the Arkansas River. This area also is near extensive <br />outcrops of the Carlile Shale and the Niobrara Formation, which contains <br />seleniferous marine shale. Constituent concentrations at site Gl were similar <br />to those in the Arkansas River at La Junta (site A3); but at site G2, concen- <br />trations were much larger than at site A3. Concentrations were low at Syracuse <br />(site G3). This site is south of the Arkansas River in an area that may <br />receive dilute recharge water from precipitation on sand dunes. At Lakin <br />(site G4) and Deerfield (site G5), concentrations were slightly larger than at <br />site G3 but, except for selenium, were less than those in the Arkansas River <br />near Deerfield (site A7). Sites G4 and G5 also may be receiving recharge from <br />a source more dilute than seepage from the river. <br /> <br />32 <br />