Estimating average dissolved-solids yield from basins drained by ephemeral and intermittent streams — Green River basin, Wyoming

A method was developed to determine the average dissolved-solids yield contributed by small basins characterized by ephemeral and intermittent streams in the Green River basin in Wyoming. The method is different from that commonly used for perennial streams. Estimates of dissolved-solids discharge at eight water quality sampling stations operated by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management range from less than 2 to 95 tons/day. The dissolved-solids yield upstream from the sampling stations ranges from 0.023 to 0.107 tons/day/sq mi. However, estimates of dissolved solids yield contributed by drainage areas between paired stations on Bitter, Salt Wells, Little Muddy, and Muddy creeks, based on dissolved-solids discharge versus drainage area, range only from 0.081 to 0.092 tons/day/sq mi. (USGS)