Water quality of selected streams in the coal area of southeastern Montana

This report summarizes and evaluates water-quality data collected at 35 stream sites the the coal region of southeastern Montana. Sarpy Creek, Armells Creek, and Rosebud Creek sometimes have dissolved-solids concentrations that cause water to be marginal for agricultural purposes. At times of rainfall and snowmelt, the runoff water mixes with the base-flow component to improve the overall quality. Water in the Tongue River generally showed a downstream degradation in which some changes were related to lithology of the aquifers contributing water to streamflow. Water from Pumpkin Creek and Mizpah Creek is used mostly for cattle watering. To some extent water is used for irrigation although the salinity hazard was often high. The chemical quality of the Powder River changed little during flow downstream. High sediment loads of the river acted as transporting agents for many of the plant nutrients and trace-element constituents. (Woodard-USGS)