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CNAPTERTHREE Affected Environment , industrial. The main stem of the Piceance Creek is used primarily for irrigation of agricultural lands. There is no recorded use of the water in the intermittent channels draining across the Piceance Site. 3.3.2 Parachute Creek Watershed The Parachute Creek watershed covers approximately 200 square miles and flours into the Colorado River south of the town of Pazachute. The creek flows in a southerly direction from its headwaters on the Roan Plateau in Garfield County to the Colorado River. The USGS has historically maintained six gaging stations on Pazachute Creek with varying periods of record from 1921 to 1986. No stations aze currently being monitored along Pazachute Creek. The average recorded streamflows for the three gaging stations aze presfanted in the following table. ::;.':;:'LiS.;- S:Git2-ug.Sfatiou:::,;'•;::::Discharge; c. s' i:::: `: Period. af.itecurd;:;>?: .............:.......:.......:.................:.:.:......... At Pazachute, CO 32 1921-1981 09093500 Near Grand Valley 33.7 1949-1984 09093000 West Fork 4.4 1958-1962 09092800 The Pazachute Creek station is the most downstream station in the drainage basin and is located neaz the town of Pazachute. The station neaz Grand Valley is 0.6 mile downstream from the confluence of West and East Forks Pazachute Creek neaz Gazdner Gulch. Water Quality. The mainstream Parachute Creek, per the Colorado Water Quality Standards (5 CCR ]002-8 and 37; Region 11, Stream Segment 4), is designated as: Class 2 -Cold Water Aquatic Life -waters that aze not capable of sustaining a wide variety of cold water biota due to physical habitat, water flows or uncoaectable water quality conditions • Class 2 -Secondary Contact Recreation • Agriculture In general, the water quality in the Pazachute Creek drainage basin is typical of surface waters from semi-arid areas of western Colorado. The water is slightly alkaline, with mean pH values ranging from 8.0 to 8.5. The major anion in these waters is bicazbonate, with some carbonate present when the pH exceeds 8.3. The concentrations of trace metals in the water:: are generally low and are well below established water quality standards. Concentrations of chemical constituents are generally lowest in the upstream reaches of the Pazachute Creek drainage. Farther down the Pazachute Creek drainage, soluble salts accumulate from natural runoff and irrigation return flows (COE 1985). Water Use. Pazachute Creek provides irrigation and livestock watering for the surrounding valley. 3-14 Surface water and Surface Water Drainages