The Kansas River provides drinking water for multiple cities in northeastern Kansas and is used for recreational purposes. Thus, improving the scientific knowledge of streamflow velocities and traveltimes will greatly aid in water-treatment plans and response to critical events and threats to water supplies. Dye-tracer studies are usually done to enhance knowledge of transport characteristics, which include streamflow velocities, traveltimes, and dispersion rates, within a river system. To achieve this in the Kansas River, rhodamine water-tracing dye is planned to be poured into the Kansas River during three different flow ranges at three locations: Manhattan, Topeka, and Eudora. The primary purpose of doing a dye-tracer study in the Kansas River is to calibrate a time-of-travel model used for estimating streamflow velocities and traveltimes, which can be used by the public as well as drinking water suppliers to protect water resources and public-water supplies.
News Releases for this Project
Latest News Release
What:
U.S. Geological Survey and partners will be adding a harmless, temporary bright red fluorescent dye to parts of the Kansas River. Dates will be announced using this website and press releases once established.
When:
Beginning the summer of 2020
Why:
The primary purpose of performing a dye-tracer study on the Kansas River is to calibrate a time-of-travel model used for estimating streamflow velocities and travel times, which can be used by the public as well as drinking water-suppliers to protect water resources and public-water supplies. The study is an exciting opportunity to better understand the behavior of the Kansas River.
“Recent events with spills above intakes in rivers have pointed out the need for travel time data to monitor and respond appropriately,” said Tom Stiles, Bureau of Water Director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “With so many people dependent upon surface water supplies in Kansas, understanding how those rivers move is critical to proper water management.”
Where & How:
The harmless, non-toxic red dye—known as Rhodamine Water Tracer (RWT)—will be added into the Kansas River during low, medium and high-flow conditions at Manhattan, Topeka, and Eudora. The red-hued dye may be visible to the public as it moves downstream and will be measured and monitored using instruments in the stream, as well as laboratory analysis.
The study is being done in cooperation with the City of Lawrence, City of Manhattan, City of Olathe, City of Topeka, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Water Office, The Nature Conservancy, and WaterOne have cooperated on this study to improve our understanding of streamflow velocities and travel times in the Kansas River.
Photos below are from: McCarthy, P.M., 2009, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Yellowstone River, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5261, 25 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095261
- Is this dye toxic? Will it stain?
- The Rhodamine WT (RWT) dye in the quantities used in this study is harmless and non-toxic to humans, plants, and other animals. It is unlikely that the RWT will stain, unless you are near the dye locations, but if it does stain it will deteriorate in sunlight or once diluted with more water.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy for the use of RWT dye states the maximum concentration at any water intake is not to exceed 10 micrograms per liter (Hubbard, 1982; and Wilson, 1986). The planned dye locations along the river are sufficiently upstream of surface water intakes on the Kansas River that resulting concentrations will remain well below that concentration once reaching the intakes.
- Will this study help with the toxic algae?
- This study was inspired by the concerns in Kansas about transport of toxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs) down the Kansas River. This study will provide more information on travel times along the Kansas River regardless of the cause of potential contamination, e.g., spills, sewer bypasses, runoff from tributaries.
- Have dye tracer studies been done before?
- Yes. Dye tracer studies are a common scientific method for studying the behavior of rivers. This method is frequently used to study bodies of water throughout the country. Here are a few citations of where these have been done:
- Jobson, H.E., 1999, Contaminants in rivers and streams—Prediction of travel time and longitudinal dispersion: Geneva, Switzerland, World Meteorological Organization Operational Hydrology Report 45, 49 p.
- Kilpatrick, F.A., and Wilson, J.F., Jr., 1989, Measurement of time of travel in streams by dye tracing: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, chap. A9, 27 p.
- McCarthy, P.M., 2009, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Yellowstone River, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5261, 25 p., accessed April 15, 2019 date at https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095261.
- Whiteman, A., 2012, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Missouri River upstream from Canyon Ferry Lake, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5044. Revised May, 20 p., accessed April 15, 2019 date at https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20125044.
- Yes. Dye tracer studies are a common scientific method for studying the behavior of rivers. This method is frequently used to study bodies of water throughout the country. Here are a few citations of where these have been done:
- Does this affect my drinking water?
- No, the temporary dye used in this study is harmless and non-toxic to humans, plants, and animals. Water treatment facilities are able to completely remove any remaining trace of the dye from drinking water. Feel free to reach out to your local water provider if you have any concerns.
The Kansas River provides drinking water for multiple cities in northeastern Kansas and is used for recreational purposes. Thus, improving the scientific knowledge of streamflow velocities and traveltimes will greatly aid in water-treatment plans and response to critical events and threats to water supplies. Dye-tracer studies are usually done to enhance knowledge of transport characteristics, which include streamflow velocities, traveltimes, and dispersion rates, within a river system. To achieve this in the Kansas River, rhodamine water-tracing dye is planned to be poured into the Kansas River during three different flow ranges at three locations: Manhattan, Topeka, and Eudora. The primary purpose of doing a dye-tracer study in the Kansas River is to calibrate a time-of-travel model used for estimating streamflow velocities and traveltimes, which can be used by the public as well as drinking water suppliers to protect water resources and public-water supplies.
News Releases for this Project
Latest News Release
What:
U.S. Geological Survey and partners will be adding a harmless, temporary bright red fluorescent dye to parts of the Kansas River. Dates will be announced using this website and press releases once established.
When:
Beginning the summer of 2020
Why:
The primary purpose of performing a dye-tracer study on the Kansas River is to calibrate a time-of-travel model used for estimating streamflow velocities and travel times, which can be used by the public as well as drinking water-suppliers to protect water resources and public-water supplies. The study is an exciting opportunity to better understand the behavior of the Kansas River.
“Recent events with spills above intakes in rivers have pointed out the need for travel time data to monitor and respond appropriately,” said Tom Stiles, Bureau of Water Director at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “With so many people dependent upon surface water supplies in Kansas, understanding how those rivers move is critical to proper water management.”
Where & How:
The harmless, non-toxic red dye—known as Rhodamine Water Tracer (RWT)—will be added into the Kansas River during low, medium and high-flow conditions at Manhattan, Topeka, and Eudora. The red-hued dye may be visible to the public as it moves downstream and will be measured and monitored using instruments in the stream, as well as laboratory analysis.
The study is being done in cooperation with the City of Lawrence, City of Manhattan, City of Olathe, City of Topeka, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Water Office, The Nature Conservancy, and WaterOne have cooperated on this study to improve our understanding of streamflow velocities and travel times in the Kansas River.
Photos below are from: McCarthy, P.M., 2009, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Yellowstone River, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5261, 25 p. https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095261
- Is this dye toxic? Will it stain?
- The Rhodamine WT (RWT) dye in the quantities used in this study is harmless and non-toxic to humans, plants, and other animals. It is unlikely that the RWT will stain, unless you are near the dye locations, but if it does stain it will deteriorate in sunlight or once diluted with more water.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy for the use of RWT dye states the maximum concentration at any water intake is not to exceed 10 micrograms per liter (Hubbard, 1982; and Wilson, 1986). The planned dye locations along the river are sufficiently upstream of surface water intakes on the Kansas River that resulting concentrations will remain well below that concentration once reaching the intakes.
- Will this study help with the toxic algae?
- This study was inspired by the concerns in Kansas about transport of toxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs) down the Kansas River. This study will provide more information on travel times along the Kansas River regardless of the cause of potential contamination, e.g., spills, sewer bypasses, runoff from tributaries.
- Have dye tracer studies been done before?
- Yes. Dye tracer studies are a common scientific method for studying the behavior of rivers. This method is frequently used to study bodies of water throughout the country. Here are a few citations of where these have been done:
- Jobson, H.E., 1999, Contaminants in rivers and streams—Prediction of travel time and longitudinal dispersion: Geneva, Switzerland, World Meteorological Organization Operational Hydrology Report 45, 49 p.
- Kilpatrick, F.A., and Wilson, J.F., Jr., 1989, Measurement of time of travel in streams by dye tracing: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations, book 3, chap. A9, 27 p.
- McCarthy, P.M., 2009, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Yellowstone River, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5261, 25 p., accessed April 15, 2019 date at https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20095261.
- Whiteman, A., 2012, Travel times, streamflow velocities, and dispersion rates in the Missouri River upstream from Canyon Ferry Lake, Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2012–5044. Revised May, 20 p., accessed April 15, 2019 date at https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20125044.
- Yes. Dye tracer studies are a common scientific method for studying the behavior of rivers. This method is frequently used to study bodies of water throughout the country. Here are a few citations of where these have been done:
- Does this affect my drinking water?
- No, the temporary dye used in this study is harmless and non-toxic to humans, plants, and animals. Water treatment facilities are able to completely remove any remaining trace of the dye from drinking water. Feel free to reach out to your local water provider if you have any concerns.