Utah Water Science Center
Investigation of salt loading sources and processes in Muddy Creek basin, Utah
Project Number: 9716BDU
Cooperating Agencyies: Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclamation
Project Chief: Steve Gerner, USGS Salt Lake City, Utah
Project Period: 2004-2006
Problem: Levels of dissolved solids (salts) in the Colorado River and its tributaries have increased over
time as a result of water development, land use changes, and agricultural practices. As a result of international agreements,
salinity concentrations in the lower Colorado River are specified, and salinity control in the Colorado River Basin is
necessary. Quantitative estimates of salt loads derived from natural sources have been determined in specific sub basins but
are not well quantified for many of the Upper Colorado River Basin watersheds, nor are the processes involved in natural
transport of salts in these watersheds fully understood. In particular, the amount of salt mobilized in the Colorado River
system as a result of summer monsoonal storms is unknown.
USGS streamflow gage on Muddy Creek, Utah |
Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the percentage of the
salt load in Muddy Creek derived from public lands and quantify the amount of salt mobilized by monsoonal storms.
Further, associations between the salt load in Muddy Creek and storm and basin characteristics will be investigated to
identify the most important factors in salt loading during storms.
Relevance and Benefits: This study is relevant to several issues identified in the USGS Strategic
Directions for the Water Resources Division, 1998-2008, which address investigating the process and fate of contaminants
and improving models that simulate the physical processes of hydrologic systems. The work will benefit the Colorado River
Basin Salinity Control Forum, Bureau of Land Management, and other agencies by providing information that can be used to
assist in their decision-making process. |
Approach: Gathering and interpreting data to develop a better conceptualization of the sources and
transport of salt in the Muddy Creek basin. Two gaging stations will be established on Muddy Creek and one gaging station in a
subwatershed where streamflow, specific conductance, and water chemistry data will be collected. Basin and storm
characteristics will be aggregated into a GIS database. Following characterization, basin and monsoonal storm characteristics
will be modeled by using Geostatistical Analysis to evaluate cause and effect and spatial relations relative to salt loading
from storms.
Products: Data from this investigation will be published in the 2004-06 Annual Data Reports and findings will
be published in a Scientific Investigations Report in 2006.
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