WSP06951

• File Number: 8273.300
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - USGS
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1985
• Author: USGS
• Title: Ground-Water Contribution to the Salinity of the Upper Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Dissolved-solids concenlretion=O.B191 x
Specific conductance ....,..113.37

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Values of dissolved-solids concentration
and specific conductance from
chamieel analysis

0.6 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE. IN MICROMHOS PER CENTIMETER AT 250 CELSIUS

3,0

Figure 12.--Specific conductance versus dissolved-solids
concentration, Gunnison subregion, for specific conductance
values greater than 600 microsiemens per centimeter at 250
Celsius.

Three sampling sites were selected for this subbasin (figs. 10 and 13;
table 3). Dissolved-solids concentrations were 6~ mg/L in the Taylor River
below Taylor Park Reservoir (site 1) and were 84 mg/L in the Taylor River and
at Almont (site 2). These relatively small dissolved-solids concentrations
are indicative of the relatively insoluble igneous and metamorphic rocks
underlying this drainage. No adjustment was made for the effects of Taylor
Park Reservoir. Dissolved-solids concentration in the East River at Almont
(site 3) was 210 mg/L. This slightly larger concentration probably reflects
the occurrence of the Mancos Shale in the East River drainage. There are no
water-quality stations in the East and Taylor Rivers subbasin for comparison
of historical data with sample data.

Taylor River contributed 10,300 ton/yr base-flow salt load (fig. 13) at a
124 ft3/s discharge, and East River also contributed 10,300 ton/yr (fig. 13)
but at a discharge of only 50 ft3/s. The estimated total base-flow salt load
for the East and Taylor Rivers subbasin was 20,600 ton/yr at a combined
measured discharge of 174 ft3/s.

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