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o ,', . . ~. ~ w ~ .,::,. ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN , , " Arkansas River, Headwaters to Oklahoma State Line In the western portion of the Arkansas, quality of water investi- gations must take into account suitability for irrigation in addition to municipal and industrial uses; while in the central and eastern portions, municipal and industrial uses are of chief importance. The amount of quality data available in critical areas is often inadequate, Nevertheless, considerable basic information is available and some general statements can be made about quality of surface water in the Arkansas basin. The water in the upper Arkansas River above Pueblo is contaminated by the discharge of untreated sewage from Leadville, Florence, Canon City, Salida and the State Penitentiary at Canon City. The river is further contaminated by industrial wastes discharged from smelters and mines located near Leadville, It is questionable as to whether the vater from the Arkansas River above Pueblo is suitable for the irrigation of truck crops, propagation of fish life and recreational uses. Although there is some increase in chloride concentration, particu- larly during periods of low flow, Ylater in the Arkansas River does not change much in character from Caddoa, Colorado to Garden City, Kansas and is probably not much changed to Great Bend, Kansas. The Arkansas enters the area of Permian Rocks near Hutchinson, Kansas and drainage from salt marshes, industrial wastes from salt works and intr~sion from oil field brines increases the proportion of chlorides from there to the Oklahoma line. Increased runoff tends to dilute the salty water so that at Kaw City, Oklahoma, the dissolved,solids exceeded 1,500 parts per million on only a few days during the year ended September 30, 1949 and was less than 500 parts per million for considerable periods, The principal sanitary water quality problems in this reach of the Arkansas River and its tributaries are those associated \~th municipal and industrial waste disposal. Sewage and industrial wastes are discharged into the surface waters of this portion of the basin by numerous cities and in- dustries. Treatment is generally lacking or inadequate and this is reflected in unsatisfactory surface water quality throughout much of the upper basin. In both Colorado and Kansas, the majority of the cities located along the Arkansas River do not provide treatment for municipal wastes. The Kansas State Board of Health reports localized pollution problems of minor signifi- cance in the Arkansas River below Syracuse, Lakin, Deer field , Garden City, KWsley, Larned and Great Bend, Kansas. Local orga1 ic pollution may influ- ence water storage projects where recreational use is considered. Downstream from Great Bend, Kansas, water pollution continues to pre- sent a problem below many of the municipalities discharging sewage into the 5 -8