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• the basin south of the Rio Blanco -Moffat County Line (the approximate southern extension of the Mancos <br />outcrop in the basin). <br />Of the two stock-watering ponds in the area chosen for continued monitoring, only Fossil Reservoir (SW6-1) <br />contained water at any time during the 1979 baseline inventory period. (Both reservoirs contained water <br />during at least part of 1980). Data collected here, plus one sample from Lincoln Reservoir (located <br />immediately downstream from SW31-1), indicate that dissolved solids contents of at least some <br />stock-watering ponds in the area are lower than might be expected for standing water in an arid region. <br />Samples collected from Fossil Reservoir had total dissolved solids concentrations ranging from 350 to 530 <br />milligrams per liter before the pond went dry in July, increasing, as expected, with time due to the <br />concentrating effect of evaporation. The dissolved solids content of Lincoln Reservoir was measured as <br />166 milligrams per liter during April of 1979. <br />The presence of cattails and other hydrophillic vegetation in Fossil Reservoir indicates that this pond <br />receives a fairly consistent yearly inflow of water even though it is intermittent. Because surface runoff in <br />the area is sporadic, the source of this water must be subsurface seepage. The presence of a shale <br />outcrop immediately below the pond indicates that a confining layer is present which could prevent <br />significant downward percolation of infiltrating water in the pond contributing area, bringing water to the <br />surface as seepage at the pond. <br />• Hydrophillic plants are absent at Lincoln Reservoir and other ponds in the area, implying that the supply of <br />water to these ponds is more sporadic. Because Lincoln Reservoir was nearly full and frozen over during <br />the winter months, it is assumed that this water originated from slate-fall (1978) thunderstorm in the area. <br />The water then froze before it could seep out or evaporate, thereby essentially preserving the chemical <br />characteristics of the inflowing water. Thus, the data collected from Lincoln Reservoir in April, 1979 are <br />probably indicative of water quality conditions during runoff events in Scullion Gulch with similar travel <br />distances. <br />Suspended solids concentrations in the general area tend to vary proportionately with flow rate, although <br />the relation is not as distinct as is the case with dissolved solids. As a result of this correlation, <br />concentrations are generally higher in the White River during the snowmelt runoff period than during other <br />portions of the year. Concentrations in the White River were not significantly different above and below the <br />lease area tributaries during the baseline inventory period, averaging 525 milligrams per liter at the upper <br />station (ranging from 10 to 2314 milligrams per liter) and 504 milligrams per liter at the lower station <br />(ranging from 8 to 2333 milligrams per liter). Suspended solids concentrations measured by the U.S. <br />Geological Survey on the White River above Rangely, Colorado have ranged from 17 to 43,400 milligrams <br />per liter for the period of record (since May, 1972), averaging 680 milligrams per liter. <br />Suspended solids concentrations in Red Wash at SW-1 have ranged from 133 to 254,600 milligrams per <br />liter. Although a majority of the dissolved solids during the snowmelt period originated upstream from <br />Permit Renewal #3 (Rev. 8/99) II.C~1 <br />