Upper Arkansas River Basin Toxics and Synoptic Studies Completed
From 1986 to 2001, the Upper Arkansas Toxics Project focused on metal transport in streams affected by mining. Studies were conducted to quantify the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting trace metal fate and transport.
Our approach studied chemical processes within a hydrologic context, using a two-step approach.
- First, we employed instream experimentation to provide data about the processes affecting metals.
- Second, we used the resulting data sets to develop and apply solute transport models that help quantify rates and processes.
Tracer-injection studies in St. Kevin Gulch, near Leadville, Colorado, helped us design methods to characterize loadings from mining activities on a watershed scale. In 1995, we began to do tracer-injection studies in support of the planning needs of Federal Land Management Agencies, and as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Abandonded Mine Land Initiative.
The objectives were to:
- Characterize the instream chemical processes that control the transport and transformation of metals downstream from mine drainage.
- Use tracer-injection methods to evaluate remediation efforts in selected basins, in support of district efforts to apply the watershed approach to the remediation of abandoned mine lands.
- Quantify the time and length scales of chemical and hydrologic processes that affect the metals through development of solute-transport models.
- Characterize the chemistry of colloids, sediment, and bed sedments that are active in controlling the dissolved concentrations of metals.
The primary study sites for the Upper Arkansas Toxics Project were located in the headwaters of the Arkansas River Basin near Leadville, Colorado at St. Kevin Gulch and the Upper Arkansas River. From 1986 to 1995, a series of studies were conducted to quantify the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting trace metal fate and transport. Additional studies were conducted in other watersheds from 1996 to 2001 at the following locations.
Colorado
- Animas River
- Eureka to Howardsville (1998)
- A72 to Elk Park (1998)
- Cement Creek
- Cement Creek (1996)
- Ross Basin (1999)
- Mayday Mine Dump(2000)
- Chalk Creek (1995)
- French Gulch (1996)
- Lake Fork of the Arkansas (2001)
- Mineral Creek (1999)
- Wightman Fork (Summitville CO) (1997)
- Willow Creek (Creede CO) (2000)
Montana
- Bullion Mine (1998)
- Lower Tenmile Creek (1998)
- Uncle Sam (1998)
- Soda Butte Creek (1999)
Utah
- Little Cottonwood (1998, 1999)
Many of the techniques employed by the Upper Arkansas Research Team at St. Kevin Gulch were used at the sites affected by acid mine drainage above. The streams that were studied were typically headwater systems that gain significant amounts of water as they flow down valley. The sources of additional water ranged from well-defined tributary inflows that appear on topographic maps, to diffused groundwater inflows that are not visible to the naked eye. The water quality associated with these sources of water also varied dramatically, ranging from dilute mountain springs to metal-rich waters emanating from mineralized areas. The challenge facing those interested in stream water quality is thus one of source determination: In a given watershed, what sources of water are most detrimental to the system under study? This question is of paramount importance to land managers who have limited resources with which to implement remedial actions.
The problem of source determination may be addressed by employing two well-established techniques: the tracer-dilution method and synoptic sampling. The tracer-dilution method provides estimates of stream discharge that are in turn used to quantify the amount of water entering the stream via tributary and groundwater inflow. Synoptic sampling of instream and inflow chemistry provides a spatially-detailed 'snapshot' of stream water quality. When used in unison, these techniques provide a description of the system that includes both discharge and concentration. Discharge and concentration data may be used to determine the mass loading associated with various sources of water. Sources representing the greatest contributions in terms of mass loading may then be the target of remedial actions.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with the Upper Akansas River Basin Study.
U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999: Volume 1 (Part A)
Quantification of metal loading in French Gulch, Summit County, Colorado, using a tracer-injection study, July 1996
Quantification of metal loading in Fisher Creek by tracer injection and synoptic sampling, Park County, Montana, August 1997
Analysis of transient storage subject to unsteady flow: Diel flow variation in an Antarctic stream
One-Dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage (OTIS): A Solute Transport Model for Streams and Rivers
Use of tracer injections and synoptic sampling to measure metal loading from acid mine drainage
Reactive solute transport in streams: 2. Simulation of a pH modification experiment
Solution of the advection-dispersion equation: Continuous load of finite duration
Simulation models for conservative and nonconservative solute transport in streams
Reply to “Comment on ‘An efficient numerical solution of the transient storage equations for solute transport in small streams" by R. L. Runkel and S. C. Chapra
An efficient numerical solution of the transient storage equations for solute transport in small streams
Below are partners associated with the Upper Arkansas River Basin Study. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad provided valuable assistance and support with the Elk Park synoptic. The Soda Butte Creek synoptic was prepared as part of the National Water Quality-Assessment (NAWQA) program.
- Overview
From 1986 to 2001, the Upper Arkansas Toxics Project focused on metal transport in streams affected by mining. Studies were conducted to quantify the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting trace metal fate and transport.
Our approach studied chemical processes within a hydrologic context, using a two-step approach.
- First, we employed instream experimentation to provide data about the processes affecting metals.
- Second, we used the resulting data sets to develop and apply solute transport models that help quantify rates and processes.
Tracer-injection studies in St. Kevin Gulch, near Leadville, Colorado, helped us design methods to characterize loadings from mining activities on a watershed scale. In 1995, we began to do tracer-injection studies in support of the planning needs of Federal Land Management Agencies, and as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Abandonded Mine Land Initiative.
The objectives were to:
- Characterize the instream chemical processes that control the transport and transformation of metals downstream from mine drainage.
- Use tracer-injection methods to evaluate remediation efforts in selected basins, in support of district efforts to apply the watershed approach to the remediation of abandoned mine lands.
- Quantify the time and length scales of chemical and hydrologic processes that affect the metals through development of solute-transport models.
- Characterize the chemistry of colloids, sediment, and bed sedments that are active in controlling the dissolved concentrations of metals.
The primary study sites for the Upper Arkansas Toxics Project were located in the headwaters of the Arkansas River Basin near Leadville, Colorado at St. Kevin Gulch and the Upper Arkansas River. From 1986 to 1995, a series of studies were conducted to quantify the physical, chemical, and biological processes affecting trace metal fate and transport. Additional studies were conducted in other watersheds from 1996 to 2001 at the following locations.
Colorado
- Animas River
- Eureka to Howardsville (1998)
- A72 to Elk Park (1998)
- Cement Creek
- Cement Creek (1996)
- Ross Basin (1999)
- Mayday Mine Dump(2000)
- Chalk Creek (1995)
- French Gulch (1996)
- Lake Fork of the Arkansas (2001)
- Mineral Creek (1999)
- Wightman Fork (Summitville CO) (1997)
- Willow Creek (Creede CO) (2000)
Montana
- Bullion Mine (1998)
- Lower Tenmile Creek (1998)
- Uncle Sam (1998)
- Soda Butte Creek (1999)
Utah
- Little Cottonwood (1998, 1999)
Many of the techniques employed by the Upper Arkansas Research Team at St. Kevin Gulch were used at the sites affected by acid mine drainage above. The streams that were studied were typically headwater systems that gain significant amounts of water as they flow down valley. The sources of additional water ranged from well-defined tributary inflows that appear on topographic maps, to diffused groundwater inflows that are not visible to the naked eye. The water quality associated with these sources of water also varied dramatically, ranging from dilute mountain springs to metal-rich waters emanating from mineralized areas. The challenge facing those interested in stream water quality is thus one of source determination: In a given watershed, what sources of water are most detrimental to the system under study? This question is of paramount importance to land managers who have limited resources with which to implement remedial actions.
The problem of source determination may be addressed by employing two well-established techniques: the tracer-dilution method and synoptic sampling. The tracer-dilution method provides estimates of stream discharge that are in turn used to quantify the amount of water entering the stream via tributary and groundwater inflow. Synoptic sampling of instream and inflow chemistry provides a spatially-detailed 'snapshot' of stream water quality. When used in unison, these techniques provide a description of the system that includes both discharge and concentration. Discharge and concentration data may be used to determine the mass loading associated with various sources of water. Sources representing the greatest contributions in terms of mass loading may then be the target of remedial actions.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with the Upper Akansas River Basin Study.
Filter Total Items: 23U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program: Proceedings of the technical meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 8-12, 1999: Volume 1 (Part A)
This report contains papers presented at the seventh Technical Meeting of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Toxic Substances Hydrology (Toxics) Program. The meeting was held March 8-12, 1999, in Charleston, South Carolina. Toxics Program Technical Meetings are held periodically to provide a forum for presentation and discussion of results of recent research activities.The objectives of these meetQuantification of metal loading in French Gulch, Summit County, Colorado, using a tracer-injection study, July 1996
No abstract available.AuthorsBriant A. Kimball, Robert L. Runkel, Linda J. GernerQuantification of metal loading in Fisher Creek by tracer injection and synoptic sampling, Park County, Montana, August 1997
Acid mine drainage from abandoned and inactive mines affects the water quality of the upper reaches of Fisher Creek, Montana. A sodium chloride tracer was added to the stream for 29.5 hours to provide a hydrologic context for synoptic sampling of metal chemistry in the stream and its inflows. The detailed profile of stream discharge obtained from the sampling helped to indicate those areas of FishAuthorsBriant A. Kimball, David A. Nimick, Linda J. Gerner, Robert L. RunkelAnalysis of transient storage subject to unsteady flow: Diel flow variation in an Antarctic stream
Transport of dissolved material in streams and small rivers may be characterized using tracer-dilution methods and solute transport models. Recent studies have quantified stream/substream interactions using models of transient storage. These studies are based on tracer-dilution data obtained during periods of steady flow. We present a modeling framework for the analysis of transient storage in strAuthorsR.L. Runkel, Diane M. McKnight, E.D. AndrewsOne-Dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage (OTIS): A Solute Transport Model for Streams and Rivers
OTIS is a mathematical simulation model used to characterize the fate and transport of water-borne solutes in streams and rivers. The governing equation underlying the model is the advection-dispersion equation with additional terms to account for transient storage, lateral inflow, first-order decay, and sorption. This equation and the associated equations describing transient storage and sorptionAuthorsRobert L. RunkelUse of tracer injections and synoptic sampling to measure metal loading from acid mine drainage
Thousands of abandoned and inactive mines are located in environmentally sensitive mountain watersheds. Cost-effective remediation of the effects of metals from mining in these watersheds requires knowledge of the most significant sources of metals. The significance of a given source depends on the toxicity of a particular metal, how much of the metal enters the stream, and whether or not the metaAuthorsBriant A. KimballReactive solute transport in streams: 2. Simulation of a pH modification experiment
We present an application of an equilibrium-based solute transport model to a pH-modification experiment conducted on the Snake River, an acidic, metal-rich stream located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. During the experiment, instream pH decreased from 4.2 to 3.2, causing a marked increase in dissolved iron concentrations. Model application requires specification of several parameters that arAuthorsRobert L. Runkel, Diane M. McKnight, Kenneth E. Bencala, Steven C. ChapraSolution of the advection-dispersion equation: Continuous load of finite duration
Field studies of solute fate and transport in streams and rivers often involve an. experimental release of solutes at an upstream boundary for a finite period of time. A review of several standard references on surface-water-quality modeling indicates that the analytical solution to the constant-parameter advection-dispersion equation for this type of boundary condition has been generally overlookAuthorsR.L. RunkelSimulation models for conservative and nonconservative solute transport in streams
Solute transport in streams is governed by a suite of hydrologic and chemical processes. Interactions between hydrologic processes and chemical reactions may be quantified through a combination of field-scale experimentation and simulation modeling. Two mathematical models that simulate conservative and nonconservative solute transport in streams are presented. A model for conservative solutes thaAuthorsR.L. RunkelReply to “Comment on ‘An efficient numerical solution of the transient storage equations for solute transport in small streams" by R. L. Runkel and S. C. Chapra
We thank Dawes and Short [this issue] for presenting an alternate technique for the efficient solution of the transient storage solute transport equations. After reading their comment, it is clear that several points in our original manuscript are in need of clarification. In this reply we provide additional information on our solution technique and comment briefly on the alternate scheme of DawesAuthorsRobert L. Runkel, Steven C. CharpaAn efficient numerical solution of the transient storage equations for solute transport in small streams
Several investigators have proposed solute transport models that incorporate the effects of transient storage. Transient storage occurs in small streams when portions of the transported solute become isolated in zones of water that are immobile relative to water in the main channel (e.g., pools, gravel beds). Transient storage is modeled by adding a storage term to the advection-dispersion equatioAuthorsRobert L. Runkel, Steven C. Chapra - Partners
Below are partners associated with the Upper Arkansas River Basin Study. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad provided valuable assistance and support with the Elk Park synoptic. The Soda Butte Creek synoptic was prepared as part of the National Water Quality-Assessment (NAWQA) program.