Laserfiche WebLink
<br />of dissolved solids during the spring runoff from the portion of the watershed <br />in which the Edna Mine is located. Although TDS concentrations in the mine <br />runoff may be quite high when compared to concentrations occurring above the <br />' mine, the discharge of this runoff is small relative to that of Trout Creek so <br />a large increase in the Trout Creek discharge is not observed. As previously <br />noted, sampling was resumed at TR-C in April 1985. The TDS concentrations in <br />Trout Creek along the mine reach the highest levels at this point. This is <br />not unexpected and as mentioned in the baseline study, the cause for the most <br />elevated TDS levels occurring at TR-C are related to the relative positions of <br />TR-C and TR-D to the active mining area. The dilution of TDS concentrations <br />' in the stream flow during 1989 and 1990 are not as pronounced as in the <br />previous few years. The reason for this is not clearly understood, but <br />perhaps it is due to an increase in farming activities along the western side <br />of Trout Creek in the vicinity of the Edna Mine. All values for TDS, except <br />one, are consistent with the baseline samples. The sample taken at TR-C (TDS <br />= 1658 mg/1) in December of 1985 appears to be an anomaly, perhaps the result <br />of a laboratory analytical error as TA-D does not reflect an influx of TDS. <br />Total Suspended Solids (TSS) show a general continuing decrease in <br />concentration from 1984 (Figure 3). As previously discussed, the flooding <br />which occurred in 1984 caused some rather dramatic changes to the stream <br />channel. The TSS values obtained during 1988, 1989, and 1990 suggest the <br />reaches along Trout Creek that were affected during the high flows of 1989 <br />have again stabilized with TSS values being consistent with values obtained <br />during baseline sampling. The samples taken in late May of 1988 suggest some <br />bank caving may still have been occurring during peak flow periods in the <br />spring. This is indicated by a substantial increase of TSS values occurring <br />L at TR-C and TR-D when compared to the other upstream sampling stations. <br />Calcium (Figure 4) is the dominant cation in Trout Creek with magnesium <br />(Figure 4) and sodium (Figure 6) occurring in lesser concentrations. The <br />relative proportions of these parameters change slightly between the sampling <br />points. In previous years, all showed a general increase in concentration <br />with some dilution taking place by the time the water passed sampling point <br />TR-D. However, in 1988 and 1989, no dilution in the concentrations occurred <br />between sampling points TR-C and TR-D, except late 1989, suggesting that <br />Z <br />i <br />