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1 <br /> <br />' 2.04.7(2)(b)(it) <br />' (ii) Water Quality. <br />Water in the North Fork of the Gunnison River is a seasonally <br />variable, soft to moderately hard, calcium-magnesium-sodium- <br />bicarbonate type water. The major concentration of the <br />chemical constituents, i.e., calcium, magnesium, sodium and <br />' bicarbonate, are negatively correlated with flocu (i.e., the <br />greater the flow the less the concentrations of these <br />' constituents). Preliminary investigations during the Fall <br />of 1975 showed that trace element concentrations in the North <br />t Fork of the Gunnison River (as well as in P9innesota Creek) <br />were well below known toxic levels. <br /> Turbidity is low in the North Fork of the Gunnison River at <br /> Somerset, in part because of the settling which takes place <br />' in Paonia Reservoir. This reservoir may also function as a <br /> buffer for fluctuations in other chemical constituents. <br />' Total dissolved solids increases downstream on the Dlorth Fork <br />' of the Gunnison River. P.etween Paonia Reservoir. and Paonia, <br />TDS varies between 100-250 milligrams/liter and increases to <br />' 500-1,000 milligrams/liter at Fotchkiss (Price and IVaddell, <br />1973). Downstream water quality is influenced by several <br />natureal and man-induced factors. Solute concentration <br />naturally tends to increase farther downstream, largely because <br />the stream flows through a marine shale valley. In addition, <br />' the TDS is raised iiz the North Fork Galley by irrigation return <br />flow. Water quality of the North Fork is also affected by <br />municipal wastes from the towns of Paonia, Somerset and Hotchkiss. <br /> <br /> <br /> 48 <br /> <br />