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<br />o <br />C.' <br />~ <br />W <br />t--- <br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />J, <br /> <br />At Oklahoma City, diversions of North Canadian River flovr are made to Lake <br />Overholser and Lake Hefner, which serve as raw water supply storage reser- <br />voirs lor the nronicipality. In the fall of 1949, serious water supply <br />tastes and odors problems occurred. The exact cause of these tastes and <br />odors has not yet been determined. They were no doubt due to biological <br />activity and a type of mold organism is suspected, but definite information <br />vmich would provide a practical basis for control is lacking. <br /> <br />Below Oklahoma City, pollution from municipal wastes and oil field <br />brines in both the main stem of the river and the Deep Fork tributary, has <br />seriously affected the quality of water, This stream has possiblities for <br />reclamation through pollution abatement, Oklahoma City has almost completed <br />a sewage treatment plant on the main stem and has plans approved for a sewage <br />treatment plant on Deep Fork. <br /> <br />South C~1adian River Basin <br /> <br />Surface water supplies 011 the upper South Canadian in New Mexico are <br />obtained for Raton, Springer, Cirnarron and Miami, Dawson ~ld Koehler have <br />infiltration wells in stream bed alluviwn. All other supplies are from wells. <br />A.s se,;ace treaUlient is good and few industries are present in the area, prac- <br />tically no stream pollution problems exist. However, as the quantity of water <br />available is a critical item, continued pollution control is necessary in <br />order to conserve the supply, Springer needs additional storage to supplement <br />.::'he supply and Tucwncari is inv8stigating the development of stU'face water <br />sources to supplement the present ground water supply that has been developed <br />to a ma.ximwn safe yield. Other important stream uses include irrigation, <br />stock watering and fishing. The Conchas Dam and Reservoir near Tucumcari is <br />a pror.rinent recreational area, These waters in New l.iexico are generally hard <br />and high in sulfate content due to natural drainage from the land. Return <br />flow from irrigated lands below the Conchas Reservoir adds to salinity dov;n- <br />stream. <br /> <br />The vater of the South Canadian River is of usable quality for all <br />purposes from the headvaters down to the vicinity of Pottawatomie County in <br />Oklahoma. There is little pollution entering the stream except some municipal <br />wastes from relatively small cities in the bas1n. :Below Pottavatomie County <br />there is considerable oil field brine entering the stream, especially from <br />the Little River tributary. Ground vater from the alluvium has not been <br />affected in most areas by brine pollution. Much of the problem of vater qua- <br />lity in this stream could be alleviated by an increase in minimum flow, espe- <br />cially in the tributaries carrying heavy pollution loads. <br /> <br />This stream can be improved, from the water quality standpoint, but <br />years of effort will be required to solve the problems of pollution ilIVolved. <br /> <br />5-13 <br />