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a lesser extent, chloride. Bicarbonate appears to increase <br />proportionately during high runoff periods, while sulfates <br />are significant in early spring, but are less prevalent during <br />other periods of the year. <br />Turbidity could be expected to increase during spring <br />runoff as increasing stream flow is correlated with increasing <br />sediment load. Overall turbidity values ranged from 4-40 <br />Jackson Turbidity Units (JTUs) and are considered low. <br />Stream quality factors that significantly affect or are <br />affected by biological processes are nitrates, phosphates, <br />dissolved oxygen, coliforms and biochemical oxygen demand. <br />Nitrate and phosphate concentrations appear to be relatively <br />small throughout the watershed and fluctuate markedly. During <br />spring months when snowmelt begins to feed the streams in the <br />area, the runoff is rich in nitrogen and probably phosphate <br />as it drains areas where cattle and sheep have been feeding <br />during the winter. <br />Streams is the Trout Creek drainage area are classified <br />B by the Colorado Department of Health (1974). This class- <br />ification means local streams are suitable for all purposes <br />for which raw water is customarily used, except primary contact <br />recreation, such as swimming and water skiing. In addition the <br />water in Class B streams has: (1) a geometric mean of leas <br />than 10,000 total coliform groups, or 1,000 fecal coliform <br />groups per 100 ml sample, (2) a dissolved oxygen content of at <br />least six mg/1, (3) a pH rating of no more than 9.0 nor less <br />than 6.0 units, {4) a temperature which maintains a normal <br />pattern of diurnal and seasonal fluctuations, and is not increased <br />above 20°C by any other than natural means, and (5) no increases <br />in turbidity of over ten JTUs during any single period (Colorado <br />Department of Aealth 1974). The highest fecal coliform value <br />recorded for the analysis area vas 220 (probably bacterial) <br />groups per 100 ml. The S-day BOD ranged from 1.5 to 2.0 for the <br /> <br />S~ <br />