Characterization of Streamflow, Suspended Sediment, and Nutrients in the Upper Yampa River Basin Active
The Upper Yampa River Basin (UYRB) drains approximately 1,800 square miles west of the Continental Divide in northwestern Colorado. In 2019, the USGS, in cooperation with local stakeholders in the UYRB water community, initiated a study to characterize streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrients using historic and recently acquired water-quality data from a long-term monitoring program initiated in 2010.
The UYRB is defined as the reach of the Upper Yampa River drained by the Yampa River Watershed between Craig, Colorado and its headwaters near the Flat Top mountains. The basin is primarily located within Routt and Moffatt Counties, which contain the cities of Craig and Steamboat Springs and towns of Hayden, Oak Creek, and Yampa. Major economic activities include agriculture (cattle production), mining, recreation and tourism.
In 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey published a retrospective analysis of the UYRB which documented water-quality conditions in the region. The report was useful in establishing baseline conditions and demonstrating that water in rivers and streams of the UYRB was generally of very good quality. An in-depth analysis of how land-use and climate were influencing the observed water-quality conditions was not possible primarily due to a lack of streamflow data, which is needed for this type of assessment. Because of this data gap, the USGS and local stakeholders established a more comprehensive long-term water-quality monitoring program for the UYRB. The monitoring program has been in place since October of 2010. Sites included in the monitoring program were selected to represent different geologic and land-use types in the UYRB.
In recent years, new interim state regulations for nutrients (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Regulation #31) and concerns related to algae blooms in Stagecoach Reservoir have become important topics to local stakeholders. Concerns are centered around the possible exceedance of new nutrient standards and the impact any observed increases in nutrient levels might have on existing water supplies (for example, increases in algae). Nuisance algae blooms have been observed with increasing frequency in the past several years (2015-18) in Stagecoach Reservoir and to some extent, as reported anecdotally from residents and land managers, in the mainstem of the Yampa River. Direct and indirect effects of land-use, hydrology, and climate change can exacerbate conditions that favor bloom-forming algae (i.e., excess nutrients and warmer temperatures). This study, in cooperation with local stakeholders in the UYRB water community, was initiated in 2019 to characterize streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrients using historic (where available) and more recently acquired water-quality data from the long-term monitoring program initiated in 2010.
The objectives of this study were to:
- characterize available water-quantity and water-quality data
- Identify seasonal and spatial variability in water quantity and water quality
- Provide comparisons to interim State nutrient standards
- Estimate long-term trends in streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrient concentrations and loads where data exist
- Provide a summary of data related to algae blooms collected from Stagecoach reservoir
- Assess how changes in land-use activities, population, and water consumption relate to streamflow, water-quality, and nutrient trends,
- Compare the findings from this study to other peer reviewed literature in regards to algae blooms and water quantity and quality.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Upper Yampa Watershed Water-Quality Data
Eagle River Water-Quality Data
Piceance Basin Water-Quality Data
Upper Gunnison River Water-Quality Data
Southwest Study Area Water-Quality Data
Roaring Fork Watershed Water-Quality Data
Arkansas River Water-Quality Data
Blue River Water-Quality Data
- Overview
The Upper Yampa River Basin (UYRB) drains approximately 1,800 square miles west of the Continental Divide in northwestern Colorado. In 2019, the USGS, in cooperation with local stakeholders in the UYRB water community, initiated a study to characterize streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrients using historic and recently acquired water-quality data from a long-term monitoring program initiated in 2010.
The UYRB is defined as the reach of the Upper Yampa River drained by the Yampa River Watershed between Craig, Colorado and its headwaters near the Flat Top mountains. The basin is primarily located within Routt and Moffatt Counties, which contain the cities of Craig and Steamboat Springs and towns of Hayden, Oak Creek, and Yampa. Major economic activities include agriculture (cattle production), mining, recreation and tourism.
In 2012, the U.S. Geological Survey published a retrospective analysis of the UYRB which documented water-quality conditions in the region. The report was useful in establishing baseline conditions and demonstrating that water in rivers and streams of the UYRB was generally of very good quality. An in-depth analysis of how land-use and climate were influencing the observed water-quality conditions was not possible primarily due to a lack of streamflow data, which is needed for this type of assessment. Because of this data gap, the USGS and local stakeholders established a more comprehensive long-term water-quality monitoring program for the UYRB. The monitoring program has been in place since October of 2010. Sites included in the monitoring program were selected to represent different geologic and land-use types in the UYRB.
In recent years, new interim state regulations for nutrients (Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment Regulation #31) and concerns related to algae blooms in Stagecoach Reservoir have become important topics to local stakeholders. Concerns are centered around the possible exceedance of new nutrient standards and the impact any observed increases in nutrient levels might have on existing water supplies (for example, increases in algae). Nuisance algae blooms have been observed with increasing frequency in the past several years (2015-18) in Stagecoach Reservoir and to some extent, as reported anecdotally from residents and land managers, in the mainstem of the Yampa River. Direct and indirect effects of land-use, hydrology, and climate change can exacerbate conditions that favor bloom-forming algae (i.e., excess nutrients and warmer temperatures). This study, in cooperation with local stakeholders in the UYRB water community, was initiated in 2019 to characterize streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrients using historic (where available) and more recently acquired water-quality data from the long-term monitoring program initiated in 2010.
The objectives of this study were to:
- characterize available water-quantity and water-quality data
- Identify seasonal and spatial variability in water quantity and water quality
- Provide comparisons to interim State nutrient standards
- Estimate long-term trends in streamflow, suspended sediment, and nutrient concentrations and loads where data exist
- Provide a summary of data related to algae blooms collected from Stagecoach reservoir
- Assess how changes in land-use activities, population, and water consumption relate to streamflow, water-quality, and nutrient trends,
- Compare the findings from this study to other peer reviewed literature in regards to algae blooms and water quantity and quality.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Upper Yampa Watershed Water-Quality Data
The Upper Yampa River Watershed (UYRW) drains approximately 1,798 square miles west of the Continental Divide in northwestern Colorado. The Upper Yampa River Watershed includes the Yampa River Basin upstream from Elkhead Creek and the Elkhead Creek Basin and primarily is in Routt County. The city of Steamboat Springs and the towns of Hayden, Oak Creek, and Yampa are in the watershed. The Yampa...Eagle River Water-Quality Data
The Eagle River drains approximately 970 square miles (sq mi) west of the Continental Divide in central Colorado before flowing into the Colorado River. The Eagle River watershed (ERW) is located primarily within Eagle County and includes the towns of Vail, Minturn, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, and Gypsum. The eastern boundary of the Eagle River watershed is drained by Gore Creek, located at Vail Pass...Piceance Basin Water-Quality Data
As large-scale energy development continues in the Piceance Basin, there is potential for changes in surface-water and groundwater resources. In the southern Piceance Basin, a water task force consisting of numerous local governments, municipalities, and energy companies collectively identified the need for a common data repository. In the northern Piceance Basin, similar efforts were underway in...Upper Gunnison River Water-Quality Data
The Upper Gunnison River Watershed, located in the Rocky Mountains 150 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado, drains approximately 3,965 square miles. Forest and rangeland comprise 89 percent of land within the watershed, but the traditional western ranching economy is increasingly supplemented through a tourism economy centered around Crested Butte Mountain Resort and the Curecanti National...Southwest Study Area Water-Quality Data
In southwest Colorado, drought, wildfires, mining activities, agriculture, and population growth have altered the landscape from its natural condition. These changes have potentially degraded the water-quality of streams, rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater by introducing or increasing levels of metals, nutrients, synthetic organic chemicals, and sediment. Recognizing the need to understand how...Roaring Fork Watershed Water-Quality Data
The Roaring Fork Watershed, located in the Rocky Mountains 150 miles west of Denver, Colorado, has seen rapid development and population growth in recent years. The USGS, in cooperation with Pitkin County, Colorado Water Conservation District, Ruedi Water and Power Authority, and other local entities, conducted a comprehensive surface- and ground-water resource assessment in the Roaring Fork River...Arkansas River Water-Quality Data
The Arkansas River Basin drains an area of 24,904 square miles of southeastern Colorado. Like other basins on the Front Range, the Arkansas Basin has experienced growth and is expected to have significant increases in growth in the future. Demands on the limited water resources also will increase as changes in water storage, water releases, and/or transfer of waters within or outside of the basin...Blue River Water-Quality Data
The Blue River drains approximately 680 square miles west of the Continental Divide in central Colorado before flowing northward into the Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado. The Blue River watershed (BRW) is almost entirely located in Summit County and includes the towns of Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Montezuma, and Silverthorne. Dillon Reservoir and Green Mountain Reservoir are major water...