TECHNICAL REPORT
CLEAN WATER REPORT
FOR SOUTHWESTERN
WYOMING
PREPARED FOR
SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING
WATER QUALITY PLANNING ASSOCIATION
CH2MIIHILL SEPTEMBER 197"7
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4 57
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CH2M
SSHLL
engineers
planners
economists
scientists
13 September 1977
D9524.F0
Southwestern Wyoming Water
Quality Planning Association
P.O. Box 829
Evanston, WY 82930
Attention: Mr, Robert L. Schuetz, Director
Gentlemen:
Submitted herewith, please find the technical report in
accordance with our contract with your agency. This report
includes the consultant's recommended plan for water quality
management. CH2M HILL will publish, at a later date, a
report which describes the plan adopted by the Association.
It has been enjoyable working with you during the prepara-
tion of the technical report.
Very truly yours
William L. Sinclair
Project Manager
jf j
Denver Office ¦ 12000 E. 47th Avenue Denver, Colorado 80239 303/371-6470
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CLEAN WATER REPORT FOR SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING
TECHNICAL REPORT
Prepared for
The Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association
Prepared by
CH2M HILL, INC.
12000 East 47th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80239
September 1977
D9524.F0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TABLES vi
FIGURES ix
Chapter
1 INTRODUCTION 1-1
WHAT IS A 208 PLAN? 1-3
Point Sources 1-3
Nonpoint Sources 1-4
The Recommended Plan 1-4
DESCRIPTION OF THE SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING
AREA 1-5
Great Divide Basin 1-5
Green River Basin Below Flaming Gorge 1-5
Bitter Creek Subbasin 1-5
Flaming Gorge Reservoir Subbasin 1-7
Green River Subbasin From Fontenelle
Dam to Town of Green River 1-7
Fontenelle Reservoir and Upstream
Subbasin 1-7
Big Sandy River Subbasin 1-7
Hams Fork Subbasin 1-8
Bridger Valley Subbasin 1-8
Bear River Basin 1-8
Star Valley Area 1-8
CLIMATE 1-8
HISTORY OF THE AREA 1-9
FUTURE GROWTH OF THE AREA 1-9
MOST PRESSING WATER CONCERNS 1-10
2 WATER QUALITY CRITERIA 2-1
WATER USES IN THE STUDY AREA 2-1
EXISTING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS 2-6
STUDY CRITERIA 2-6
SALINITY CRITERIA 2-11
Salinity Criteria for Agricultural
Irrigation 2-12
Salinity Criteria for Wildlife and
Livestock Watering 2-14
Salinity Criteria for Industry 2-14
Salinity Criteria for Public Water
Supply 2-14
PHOSPHORUS CRITERION 2-15
SEDIMENT CRITERION 2-17
i
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA 2-19
Definition of Water Use 2-19
Instream Criteria for Sampled
Constituents 2-19
Instream Criteria for Unsampled
Constituents 2-21
GROUND WATER QUALITY CRITERIA 2-21
3 EXISTING INSTREAM WATER QUALITY 3-1
WATER QUALITY DATA 3-1
DOCUMENTED WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS 3-6
MEASUREMENT OF WATER QUALITY 3-6
SURFACE WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS 3-12
Secondary Contact Recreation 3-16
Primary Contact Recreation 3-16
Stream Aesthetics 3-16
Reservoir and Lake Aesthetics 3-16
Industrial Water Supply 3-18
Agricultural Irrigation 3-18
Wildlife and Livestock Watering 3-20
Publ ic Water Supply 3-20
Fisheries 3-20
SUMMARY OF SURFACE WATER QUALITY 3-21
GROUND WATER PROBLEMS 3-21
4 ECONOMICS OF USE IMPAIRMENT 4-1
DEFINITION OF SALINITY 4-1
COSTS OF SALINITY 4-3
Costs to Industry in the Study Area 4-3
Costs to Domestic Users in the Study
Area 4-6
Benefits and Costs in the Study Area 4-10
Costs of Salinity to Users Outside
Study Area 4-10
COSTS OF EUTROPHICATION TO RECREATION 4-10
5 CONTAMINANT SOURCES
LOADS IN SURFACE WATERS 5-1
Suspended Solids in Surface Waters 5-1
Phosphorus Loads in Surface Waters 5-1
Salinity Loads in Surface Waters 5-7
POINT SOURCES 5-7
Mining and Industrial Discharges 5-13
Municipal and Other Dischargers 5-13
ii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
Phosphorus Loadings from Point Sources 5-16
Salinity Loadings from Point Sources 5-17
NONPOINT LOADINGS OF SALTS AND PHOSPHORUS
IN THE GREEN RIVER BASIN 5-19
Loadings from General Erosion 5-19
Loadings from Local Erosion 5-28
Loadings from Manure Runoff 5-31
Loading from Irrigation Return Flows 5-31
Loadings from Urban Runoff 5-33
Loadings from Septic Tanks 5-36
Loadings from Ground Water Discharge 5-36
LOADING BUDGETS FOR PHOSPHORUS 5-41
LOADING BUDGET FOR SALINITY 5-45
6 FUTURE WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS 6-1
IMPACTS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT 6-1
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS 6-2
Purpose of Scenarios 6-2
Development of Scenarios 6-3
Water Demands 6-4
Green River Model 6-7
FUTURE TDS AND SULFATE LEVELS 6-10
FUTURE PHOSPHORUS AND ALGAE LEVELS 6-11
CHANGES IN OTHER POLLUTANTS 6-11
7 EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 7-1
AUTHORITIES AT LOCAL LEVEL 7-3
Local Government 7-3
County Government 7-3
Joint Powers Boards 7-3
AUTHORITIES AT REGIONAL LEVEL 7-4
AUTHORITIES AT STATE LEVEL 7-4
Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality 7-4
The State Engineer 7-5
Wyoming Department of Agriculture 7-5
The Wyoming Interdepartmental Water
Conference 7-6
Wyoming Plant Siting Council 7-6
AUTHORITIES AT FEDERAL LEVEL 7-6
United States Environmental Protection
Agency 7-6
Farmers Home Administration 7-7
Soil Conservation Service 7-7
Forest Service 7-7
iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
Bureau of Land Management 7-7
Bureau of Reclamation 7-8
United States Geological Survey 7-8
Corps of Engineers 7-8
SPECIFIC AUTHORITIES REQUIRED OF MANAGEMENT
AGENCIES UNDER 208 7-8
CONCLUSIONS 7-9
8 CONTROLS FOR SALINITY 8-1
CONTROL MEASURES FOR SALINITY 8-1
OPTION 1—BIG SANDY RIVER UNIT STUDY 8-4
OPTION 2—SPRINKLER IRRIGATION IN BRIDGER
VALLEY 8-5
OPTION 3—IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION
EFFICIENCIES THROUGH BETTER TIMING OF
IRRIGATIONS 8-9
OPTION 4—CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS
WHERE SALTS CAN BE MOBILIZED 8-16
OPTION 5—STUDY POTENTIAL CONTROLS FOR
SALINITY IN SUBLETTE COUNTY 8-21
OPTION 6—INTERCEPTION OF GROUND WATER
BELOW BIG SANDY RESERVOIR 8-23
OPTION 7—NO ACTION 8-26
OPTION 8—SALINITY STANDARDS IN THE STUDY
AREA 8-28
9 CONTROLS FOR EUTROPHICATION 9-1
DESIRED PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS TO THE AREA'S
RESERVOIRS 9-1
Method 1: Vollenweider Loading Basis 9-1
Method 2: Concentration Basis 9-4
DESIRABLE AND PERMISSIBLE PHOSPHORUS
LOADINGS 9-4
CONTROL MEASURES FOR PHOSPHORUS AND
EUTROPHICATION 9-6
OPTION 1 —REDUCE POINT SOURCE PHOSPHORUS
DISCHARGES 9-8
OPTION 2—RANGE MANAGEMENT 9-12
OPTION 3—CHANNEL MODIFICATIONS IN MIDDLE
AND LOWER BITTER CREEK TO CONTROL EROSION 9-19
OPTION 4—STRUCTURAL CONTROLS IN UPPER
BITTER CREEK, MUDDY CREEK, AND LITTLE
MUDDY CREEK 9-23
OPTION 5—MANAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL WASTE
DISPOSAL 9-26
iv
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TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
Chapter Page
OPTION 6—IN-LAKE MANAGEMENT 9-30
OPTION 7—REQUIRE EROSION AND MANURE
CONTROL FOR FARMING AND RANCHING
ACTIVITIES 9-33
OPTION 8—REQUIRE EROSION CONTROL FOR ALL
CONSTRUCTION AND MINING ACTIVITIES 9-35
OPTION 9—REQUIRE CONSIDERATION OF WATER
QUALITY IMPACTS OF WATER DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS 9-37
OPTION 10—STUDY PHOSPHORUS CONTROL FOR
TRIBUTARIES TO PALISADES RESERVOIR 9-40
OPTION 11-CONVERT TO NONPHOSPHATE DETERGENTS 9-42
OPTION 12—ADOPT PHOSPHORUS STANDARDS FOR
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR 9-44
OPTION 13--NO ACTION 9-46
10 CONTROLS FOR OTHER ISSUES 10-1
ISSUE: POOR WATER QUALITY IN BRIDGER
VALLEY WELLS 10-1
ISSUE: INSTITUTIONAL FUZZINESS IN
URBANIZING AREAS 10-2
ISSUE: HIGH FECAL COLIFORM LEVELS IN SOME
AREAS 10-3
ISSUE: HIGH AMMONIA LEVELS IN SOME STREAM
REACHES 10-3
ISSUE: HIGH METALS LEVELS IN SOME STREAM
REACHES 10-4
ISSUE: LOW DISSOLVED OXYGEN LEVELS IN
SOME REACHES 10-4
ISSUE: FUTURE MONITORING OF WATER QUALITY 10-5
ISSUE: SEDIMENT CONTROL 10-6
ISSUE: ONGOING 208 PLANNING 10-7
11 THE RECOMMENDED 208 PLAN 11-1
EVALUATION CRITERIA 11-1
THE SUBPLAN FOR SALINITY CONTROL 11-2
THE SUBPLAN FOR PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT
CONTROL 11-7
THE SUBPLAN FOR OTHER ISSUES 11-17
REFERENCES
APPENDICES A THROUGH D
v
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TABLES
Table
Page
2-1
WATER USE DEFINITIONS
2-2
2-2
STREAM REACHES AND WATER USES
2-3
2-3
WYOMING SURFACE WATERS CLASSIFICATIONS
2-8
2-4
WYOMING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
2-10
2-5
EPA SALINITY CRITERIA
2-12
2-6
POSSIBLE FISHERIES CRITERIA FOR SEDIMENT
2-28
2-7
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA BY USE FOR
SAMPLED CONSTITUENTS
2-20
2-8
SOURCE OF WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
2-23
2-9
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA BY REACH FOR
SAMPLED CONSTITUENTS
2-24
2-10
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR CONSTITUENTS
WITH NO WATER QUALITY DATA
2-26
2-11
GROUND WATER QUALITY CRITERIA BY USE
2-27
3-1
EXTENT OF WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN STUDY AREA
3-5
3-2
MEASUREMENT OF WATER QUALITY
3-8
3-3
REACHES IN WHICH CRITERIA ARE EXCEEDED IN ANY
SAMPLE
3-9
3-4
PERCENTAGE OF TIME CRITERIA ARE EXCEEDED
3-13
3-5
COMPARISON OF TWO INTERPRETATIONS OF USE
IMPAIRMENT
3-14
3-6
SUMMARY OF USE IMPAIRMENTS FOR SURFACE WATER
3-15
3-7
EUTROPHICATION OF LAKES AND RESERVOIRS IN STUDY
AREA
3-19
4-1
COSTS FOR TREATING BOILER AND COOLING TOWER
MAKEUP WATER AT JIM BRIDGER POWER PLANT
4-5
4-2
SALINITY COSTS TO THE MINERAL RESOURCES
DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES
4-7
4-3
POTENTIAL COST DIFFERENCES TO INDUSTRY AT
SALINITY LEVELS HIGHER AND LOWER THAN 1976
LEVEL OF 600 y mhos
4-8
4-4
NUMBER OF SURFACE WATER USERS IN STUDY AREA
WITH AND WITHOUT SOFTENING
4-11
4-5
ESTIMATED ANNUAL SOFTENING COSTS TO DOMESTIC
USERS
4-12
4-6
ANNUAL BENEFITS TO SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING FROM
RECREATIONALISTS VISITING FLAMING GORGE
RESERVOIR
4-16
5-1
CONTAMINANT SOURCES
5-2
5-2
EPA ESTIMATED PHOSPHORUS LOADS TO WOODRUFF
NARROWS RESERVOIR AND BEAR LAKE IN THE BEAR
RIVER BASIN
5-6
5-3
INSTREAM SALINITY LOADS IN THE GREEN RIVER IN
WYOMING
5-8
5-4
INSTREAM SALINITY LOADS IN THE BLACKS FORK
WATERSHED
5-10
vi
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TABLES (Continued)
Table Page
5-5 STATUS OF MUNICIPAL COMPLIANCE WITH BEST
PRACTICAL TREATMENT METHODS OF SECONDARY
TREATMENT STANDARDS 5-14
5-6 EFFECT OF NONDISCHARGING INDUSTRIAL PONDS ON
SALINITY 5-18
5-7 ESTIMATED PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS FROM GENERAL
EROSION TO FLAMING GORGE 5-25
5-8 PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS FROM GENERAL EROSION IN
THE REACHES WITH THE HIGHEST PHOSPHORUS
LOADING RATES
5-27
5-9
ESTIMATES OF SALINITY LOADINGS FROM GENERAL
EROSION
5-29
5-10
IRRIGATED ACREAGE IN STUDY AREA
5-34
5-11
SALT LOADING ESTIMATES FROM IRRIGATION RETURN
FLOWS
5-35
5-12
SALINITY LOADINGS IN THE STUDY AREA FROM
GROUND WATER
5-42
5-13
PHOSPHORUS BUDGET FOR FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
5-44
5-14
SALINITY BUDGET FOR STUDY AREA SECTION OF GREEN
RIVER BASIN
5-46
6-1 POPULATION ESTIMATES 6-3
6-2 WATER DEPLETION ESTIMATES FOR THE STUDY AREA 6-5
6-3 WATER DEPLETIONS FOR THE PORTION OF THE GREEN
RIVER BASIN IN THE SWWQPA 208 AREA 6-6
7-1 EXISTING AGENCIES BY MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND
POLLUTION SOURCES 7-2
7-2 AUTHORITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM 208 MANAGEMENT
FUNCTIONS 7-10
7-3 AGENCY AUTHORITIES 7-11
8-1 SALINITY MANAGEMENT OPTIONS 8-3
8-2 BENEFITS FROM SALINITY REDUCTION BY IMPROVED
IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY 8-12
8-3 BENEFIT-COST RATIO FOR CONTROL OF SALT LOADS
THROUGH IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT 8-14
8-4 SALINITY MONITORING STATIONS 8-31
9-1 DESIRABLE AND PERMISSIBLE PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS
TO FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR 9-5
9-2 WAYS TO MANAGE EUTROPHICATION CAUSES AND EFFECTS 9-7
9-3 COSTS OF POINT SOURCE PHOSPHORUS CONTROL 9-10
9-4 PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION BY RANGE MANAGEMENT 9-14
9-5 ALLOCATION OF COSTS, FLAMING GORGE UNIT 9-17
vii
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TABLES (Continued)
Table Page
1-1 EVALUATION OF SALINITY CONTROL MEASURES
1-2 CLARIFICATION OF FEASIBILITY OF SALINITY CONTROL
OPTIONS
1-3 CLARIFICATION OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL OR SOCIAL
IMPACTS OF SALINITY CONTROL OPTIONS
1-4 RECOMMENDED SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM
1-5 AGENCY DESIGNATED TO CARRY OUT SHORT-RANGE
SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM
1-6 EVALUATION OF PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
MEASURES
1-7 CLARIFICATION OF FEASIBILITY OF PHOSPHORUS AND
SEDIMENT CONTROL OPTIONS
1-8 CLARIFICATION OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL OR SOCIAL
IMPACTS OF PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
OPTIONS
1-9 AGENCY DESIGNATED TO CARRY OUT SHORT-RANGE
PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM
1-10 RECOMMENDED SHORT-RANGE PLAN FOR OTHER WATER
QUALITY ISSUES
viii
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FIGURES
Figure Page
1-1 LOCATION OF STUDY AREA 1-2
1-2 SWWQPA STUDY AREA AND MAJOR RIVER BASINS 1-6
1-3 PRECIPITATION PATTERNS End of
Chapter
1-4 MEAN MONTHLY PRECIPITATION, ROCK SPRINGS, End of
1951-1974 Chapter
1-5 MEAN MONTHLY TEMPERATURES, ROCK SPRINGS, End of
1951-1974 Chapter
2-1 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF STREAM AND RESERVOIR
REACHES 2-5
2-2 GROUND WATER USE IN STUDY AREA 2-7
2-3 WYOMING STREAM CLASSIFICATIONS 2-9
2-4 SALINITY CRITERION FOR AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION 2-13
2-5 BASIS FOR PHOSPHORUS CRITERION 2-16
3-1 LOCATION OF FLOW GAUGING AND WATER QUALITY
STATIONS 3-2
3-2 REACHES WITH MOST COMPLETE MONITORING 3-4
3-3 DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS OF STATE WATER QUALITY
STANDARDS IN 1976 3-7
3-4 FECAL COLIFORM CONCENTRATIONS IN THE LOWER
GREEN RIVER REACH 3-11
3-5 USE IMPAIRMENT—SECONDARY CONTACT RECREATION End of
Chapter
3-6 USE IMPAIRMENT—PRIMARY CONTACT RECREATION End of
Chapter
3-7 USE IMPAIRMENT—STREAM AESTHETICS End of
Chapter
3-8 USE IMPAIRMENT—RESERVOIR AND LAKE AESTHETICS End of
Chapter
3-9 USE IMPAIRMENT—INDUSTRIAL WATER SUPPLY End of
Chapter
3-10 USE IMPAIRMENT—AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION End of
Chapter
3-11 USE IMPAIRMENT—WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK WATERING End of
Chapter
3-12 USE IMPAIRMENT—PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY End of
Chapter
3-13 USE IMPAIRMENT-FISHERY End of
Chapter
3-14 PHOSPHORUS AND WATER TRANSPARENCY 3-17
4-1 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
AND TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS IN STUDY AREA 4-2
4-2 SALINITY COSTS TO GREEN RIVER BASIN INDUSTRY 4-9
4-3 RECREATIONAL USE OF FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR 4-14
4-4 CHANGE IN FISH POPULATIONS IN FLAMING GORGE
RESERVOIR 4-15
ix
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ure
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
FIGURES (Continued)
ANNUAL INSTREAM PHOSPHORUS LOADS
PHOSPHORUS LOADS TO PALISADES RESERVOIR
APPROXIMATE EXTENT OF WATERSHEDS FOR GREEN RIVER
STRETCHES LISTED ON TABLE 5-3
APPROXIMATE EXTENT OF WATERSHEDS FOR BLACKS
FORK STRETCHES LISTED ON TABLE 5-4
NPDES DISCHARGERS IN STUDY AREA
SOIL EROSION MAP
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS LOADS AT BLACKS FORK
NEAR LITTLE AMERICA
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS LOADS AT GREEN RIVER
NEAR GREEN RIVER
PHOSPHORUS LOADING RATES
CRITICAL AREAS FOR RANGE IMPROVEMENT
IRRIGATED AREAS
AREAS OF HIGHLY LEACHABLE MATERIALS IN GREEN
RIVER BASIN
CRITICAL AREAS IMPACTED BY GROUND WATER
PHOSPHOROUS DEPOSITS WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL
TO IMPACT SURFACE WATERS
COAL RESERVES
TRONA AND OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL AND GAS FIELDS
PRESENT INDUSTRIAL WATER DEPLETIONS
INDUSTRIAL WATER DEPLETIONS—COAL EXPORT,
YEAR 2000
INDUSTRIAL WATER DEPLETIONS—ENERGY EXPORT,
YEAR 2000
1995 TDS AT BIG ISLAND
1975 PHOSPHOROUS AT BIG ISLAND
FUTURE TDS LOADS
FUTURE TDS CONCENTRATIONS
FUTURE SULFATE CONCENTRATIONS
FUTURE PHOSPHORUS LOADS
AVERAGE PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS IN FLAMING
GORGE RESERVOIR UNDER THE COAL EXPORT SCENARIO
AVERAGE PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATIONS IN FLAMING
GORGE RESERVOIR UNDER THE ENERGY EXPORT
SCENARIO
x
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FIGURES (Continued)
Figure Page
8-1 REACHES WITH MAJOR IMPAIRMENTS DUE TO SALINITY 8-2
8-2 IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY ON A TEST PLOT IN THE
EDEN-FARSON AREA 8-11
8-3 RELATIONSHIP OF PLAINS RESERVOIR AND STATELINE
PROJECT TO CRITICAL GEOLOGIC AREAS 8-17
8-4 ANNUAL SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE AT TWO STATIONS 8-35
8-5 ANNUAL SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE AS A FUNCTION OF
THE AVERAGE ANNUAL FLOW RATE 8-36
9-1 PHOSPHORUS CRITERION RELATED TO TROPHIC STATUS
IN RESERVOIRS 9-2
9-2 VOLLENWEIDER LOADING CHART 9-3
9-3 COSTS FOR PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL FROM POINT SOURCES 9-9
9-4 THE "CHECKERBOARD" AREA 9-16
9-5 LOCATION OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD
IN THE MIDDLE AND LOWER BITTER CREEK REACHES 9-20
9-6 LOCATION OF THE RAILROAD IN THE UPPER BITTER
CREEK AND LOWER MUDDY CREEK REACHES 9-24
11-1 MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR SHORT-RANGE SALINITY
CONTROL PROGRAM 11-18
11-2 MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR SHORT-RANGE PHOSPHORUS
AND EROSION CONTROL PROGRAM 11-14
11-3 RECOMMENDED PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
SUBPLAN 11-16
XI
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This report was financed through a grant from the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency to the Southwestern Wyoming Water
Quality Planning Association.
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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Early impressions of water quality in Southwestern Wyoming are recorded in
the names given to streams in the area, such as Muddy Creek, Bitter Creek,
Salt Wells Creek, Killpecker Creek, Sweetwater Creek, and Salt River. As
indicated by these names, before the area was developed, the water was found
to be undesirable for many uses due to natural conditions. These conditions
include highly erodible soils, some of which are highly saline, and a desert
climate that keeps flows at low levels except for large storm events. To
achieve water quality suitable for recreational, agricultural, domestic, and
industrial uses means reducing contaminant loads regardless of the source.
The mineral wealth of Southwestern Wyoming, along with lands suitable for
farming and ranching, has brought increasing numbers of people to the area.
In less than 5 years the population in Sweetwater County, for example, has
more than doubled. Because the area is big—16,000 square miles—the 1975
population of 57,000 for the three-county area still amounted to an average
density of only about 3.5 persons per square mile. However, continued develop-
ment and population growth is expected in the area. As a result, although
natural conditions predominantly influenced water quality in the past, future
conditions will be much more sensitive to man's presence through such activities
as mining, irrigating, and the building of dams, highways, and communities.
The water quality plan for Southwestern Wyoming, therefore, focuses on achieving
the desired water quality for the short term by various control actions and
uses preventative measures to maintain that quality in the future. This
report presents the technical basis for a proposed 208 Plan for Southwestern
Wyoming. The actual final plan will be described in a shorter, separate
report.
A 208 Plan describes how an area's water resources should be managed to
maintain and improve water quality. It is named after Section 208 of Public
Law 92-500. This law is the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972 or, as more popularly known, the 1972 Clean Water Act. Under Section
208, state governors can designate special areas where there is a concern for
existing and/or future water quality. These areas are then eligible to
receive grants under Section 208 to carry out a 2-year planning program to
develop specific management plans for maintaining and improving water quality.
In addition to designating the area, the governor also must designate an
agency to carry out the planning. For the Counties of Sweetwater, Lincoln,
and Uinta in Wyoming, shown on Figure 1-1, the Southwestern Wyoming Water
Quality Planning Association (SWWQPA) was formed by the county commissioners
and the incorporated cities for the purpose of doing this 208 Plan. The
Association was formed in November 1975 with offices in Evanston. Various
outside consulting firms were employed by the Association to help produce the
work needed to develop a plan.
1-1
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I
I
FIGURE 1-1
LOCATION OF
STUDY AREA
CH2M
CHEYENNE
DENVER _
SALT LAKE CITY
UTAH
JACKSON
I D A H 0
VERNAL
HIVEHTON
CASPER
RAWLINS
POCATELLO
CRAI6
COLORADO
I
I
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This report by the consultants and the Association's staff describes the
area's water quality situation and the control plans proposed for managing
the water resources. The report attempts to provide information to three
groups of people: the general public who may be interested in the technical
details of the work, the elected officials who must make decisions about
carrying out the plan, and the technical people who will work with many
details of the plan and who will advise the elected officials.
Staff and consultants have found numerous problems and issues that could be
addressed, some of which are very important to individual people. However,
early in the study the decision was made to concentrate on those water quality
aspects which were considered to be most important from an areawide perspective
and for which an improvement plan could be implemented. With this approach,
planning efforts were not drained by covering all identified water quality
problems and producing a long list of controls, many of which would not be
practical to implement. As a result, certain issues or problems may not be
covered to the satisfaction of some readers. However, the intent of the
report is to present to the decision-makers, the general public, and the
technical audience a very practical discussion of Southwestern Wyoming's
water quality situation.
WHAT IS A 208 PLAN?
The 208 Plan is one part of the continuous planning process which constitutes
the 208 program. The goal of this program is to have in operation at all
times the most cost-effective management controls for the identified water
quality problems. As defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
the most cost-effective control will have the least cost to society without
any overriding adverse environmental, social, or institutional impacts. This
208 Plan should be updated as more water quality data become available, new
water quality problems arise, and new control technology and institutional
arrangements develop.
A 208 Plan addresses the water quality of streams, lakes and reservoirs, and
ground water bodies. It is a comprehensive consideration of all types of
pollution sources, management controls, and implementation factors. Pollution
sources are identified as either point sources or nonpoint sources. Point
sources are simply described as those that are captured in a pipe or ditch
and discharged directly to a stream or lake, whereas nonpoint sources are
those that are more dispersed, such as runoff due to rainfall. Point sources
are under the administration of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDE&) of discharge permits. Nonpoint sources, on the other hand,
are generally administered not through the permit program, but through a
program of Best Management Practices (BMP's).
Point Sources
Traditionally, management of water quality has been concerned with the control
of point sources only and has been almost exclusively limited to control of
municipal and industrial treatment plant discharges. By the late 1970's,
secondary treatment of municipal wastes will be widespread through Wyoming
and the country. By the mid- to late 1980's, it is a national goal to have
advanced wastewater treatment for certain serious pollutants.
1-3
-------
The 208 Plan recommends the changes in point source treatment that must be
made in order to achieve a desired level of water quality. These recommended
changes have a far reaching impact, because any municipality which seeks
Federal funds through the 201 Wastewater Facility Planning Program must
design for the changes recommended by an approved 208 Plan.
Nonpoint Sources
Study and control of nonpoint sources has come about because elimination of
point source pollution in many areas has not produced the desired water
quality. Water quality problems persisted because of pollution delivered by
septic tanks and by runoff from urban lands, rural lands, rangelands, and
areas of mining and silviculture. Because point sources were emphasized
first, many of the factors involved in nonpoint control are not well developed.
The effectiveness of many BMP's is impossible to predict without in-situ
testing. The costs and secondary environmental impacts are difficult to
predict accurately. Finally, the responsibilities for implementing, adminis-
tering, and paying for BMP's are largely undefined.
Because of all the uncertainties surrounding BMP's, 208 Plans to date have
not been as specific about nonpoint controls as point controls. This 208
Plan also is more specific on controls necessary for point sources than for
nonpoint sources. While the Plan has identified relatively small regions
within the study area where nonpoint controls are necessary to produce desired
water quality, for many of these regions it has only been able to suggest
nonpoint controls which might work or institutional arrangements which might
be feasible. It has emphasized that in certain regions detailed feasibility
studies need to be done. Therefore, while specific controls have not been
defined for all identified water quality problems in the area, mechanisms
have been set up to lead to the eventual alleviation of these problems.
The Recommended Plan
The goal of this Plan is to provide a process which will lead to a water
quality acceptable to the local citizens, the State of Wyoming, and the
Federal Government. In order to reach this goal, the Plan has sought to
answer the following questions:
¦ What are the water quality goals for the local citizens, the State
and the Federal Government (Chapter 2)?
¦ What are the existing water quality problems and what are their
impacts (Chapters 3 and 4)?
¦ What are the contaminant sources causing these problems (Chapter 5)?
¦ What water quality problems are predicted for the future (Chapter 6)?
¦ What institutional framework exists for solving present and future
water quality problems (Chapter 1)1
¦ What are the options (Chapter 8, Chapter 9, and Chapter 10)?
1-4
-------
Chapter 11 presents the Plan recommended by the SWWQPA staff and consultants
for the attainment of desirable water quality in the study area. This plan
will be reviewed by local citizens in public hearings and by State and Federal
agencies. Changes will be made in the Plan from the comments received. The
Plan will then be presented to SWWQPA for adoption.
The adopted 208 Plan must be considered in the context of the continuous
planning process set up under Section 208 of the 1972 Clean Water Act. It is
not a final plan. It should be updated as more information becomes available.
For example, the State of Wyoming adopted a set of water quality standards in
1974, but is now in the process of developing new standards based on new
water quality information. As a result, the criteria developed in Chapter 2
may need to be revised when the new set is adopted.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING AREA
The Southwestern Wyoming 208 area, consisting of the Counties of Sweetwater,
Lincoln, and Uinta, is shown on Figure 1-2. Five major river basins have
been delineated in the figure. The majority of the area is in the Green
River Basin, which is a tributary of the Colorado River system. Along the
western edge of the area in Uinta and Lincoln Counties is the Bear River
Basin. The Star Valley area in northern Lincoln County is tributary to the
Snake River drainage. The remaining two basins are the Great Divide Basin
and the Green River Basin below Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The terrain in each
of the five major basins is described below in general terms. Because of its
size, the Green River Basin has been divided into seven subbasins.
Great Divide Basin
The Great Divide Basin, also known as the Red Desert, is located in northeastern
Sweetwater County. It is an internal drainage basin, that is, runoff from
rainfall does not leave the basin. The Great Divide Basin is enclosed by the
Continental Divide, which separates the drainages to the Atlantic and the
Pacific Oceans. The terrain in this basin is high altitude desert country
typified by gentle slopes and low and sparse vegetation. Rainfall is less
than 8 inches per year.
Green River Basin Below Flaming Gorge
In southeastern Sweetwater County, a number of streams rise that drain into
Colorado and Utah and join the Green River downstream of Flaming Gorge Reservoir
and the Wyoming border. This lower Green River area is very sparsely populated,
and the land is highly erosional in form and somewhat similar to that along
the edges of the Great Divide Basin.
Bitter Creek Subbasin
The Bitter Creek drainage is along Interstate 80 and along the Union Pacific
Railroad just west of the Great Divide Basin. The upstream end of the basin
greatly resembles the Great Divide Basin, but downstream the effect of centuries
of erosion becomes apparent. Land forms become more abrupt, and the cliffs
in the downstream areas indicate that the area was a sea or lakebed during
1-5
-------
f
Jbasini
I
-J
HlflfTW
GREAT
GREEN JisA
DIVIDE
RIVER
BASIN
I RIVER
BASIN
GREEN RIVER
BASIN BELOW
FLAMING GORGE
FIGURE 1-2
SWItfQPA STUDY AREA
l MAJOR RIVER BASINS
CH2M
S8HILL
-------
various geological periods. In the vicinity of Rock Springs and downstream
toward the Green River, the erosion relief is far more dramatic with formations
such as White Mountain dominating the landscape.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir Subbasin
On the Green River beginning from the confluence of Bitter Creek and on
downstream is the area of Flaming Gorge. Flaming Gorge is a canyon-like
formation located south of the Wyoming-Utah State line on the Green River.
It was named by John Wesley Powell and his crew because of the color bands
exposed on the rock formations as the gorge was formed by the Green River. A
dam has been built in Utah below Flaming Gorge and formed the reservoir that
now fills the gorge. The present-day reservoir extends approximately 60 miles
from the dam and is formed in the upper part by the arms of the Green River
and Blacks Fork, two major tributaries to Flaming Gorge Reservoir. A third
major tributary is Henrys Fork, which comes into the reservoir at the Wyoming-
Utah State line. Erosion of land forms is prevalent throughout the area,
including awesome pinnacles and shear cliffs. Flaming Gorge Reservoir and
adjacent lands are administered by the U.S. Forest Service as a National
Recreation Area.
Green River Subbasin from Fontenelle Dam to Town of Green River
The Green River provides a relief to the largely desert-type surrounding
country. The river itself stands out from the otherwise monotonous desert
terrain. The change in vegetation is striking with the willows and cottonwoods
along the river's banks providing a dramatic contrast to the sagebrush and
grasses of the desert areas further away from the water. Today, 35 miles of
the river are contained in the Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, which was
established to replace nesting grounds inundated by Fontenelle Reservoir
further upstream. In the refuge area, numerous canals have been constructed
to flood wide areas in order to create the proper marshy conditions desirable
for nesting ducks and geese. The refuge lies above and below the confluence
of the Green River with the Big Sandy River.
Fontenelle Reservoir and Upstream Subbasin
Near the line between Sweetwater and Lincoln Counties is Fontenelle Dam,
which forms the reservoir that extends on up into Lincoln County. Upstream
of the reservoir, the Green River extends down from Sublette County, which is
outside the study area. Evidences of a broad erosional plain are prevalent
throughout this Upper Green River area and in the reach near Fontenelle. The
plain appears more narrow than further downstream. Along the stream, there
are hay pastures as opposed to the wildlife refuge downstream, and the land
use activities are more related to those of the Upper Green River Basin in
Sublette County than to those in Sweetwater County.
Big Sandy River Subbasin
The Big Sandy River subbasin is located in north central Sweetwater County.
It is largely desert country with irrigated agriculture in the Eden Valley
near Farson and Eden. The terrain is moderately rolling.
1-7
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Hams Fork Subbasin
Hams Fork is a tributary of Blacks Fork and rises in central Lincoln County.
The communities of Kemmerer, Diamondville and Frontier are along Hams Fork.
Extensive coal deposits have been developed in the basin. The terrain has
narrower eroded valleys than are found further downstream.
Bridger Valley Subbasin
Most of Uinta County is contained in the area known as Bridger Valley. The
valley is named after Jim Bridger, an early scout for whom Fort Bridger is
also named. Bridger Valley generally has a broad rolling terrain with numerous
drainages flowing north through it. It is well suited for agriculture, which
has been a major economic force in the area since the late 1800's. The
streams in Bridger Valley generally rise in Utah in the Uinta Mountains to
the south. The southern part of the valley is characterized as being moderately
forested as compared to the northeastern part of the valley, which is largely
desert country with erosional forms.
Bear River Basin
The Bear River meanders in and out of the 208 planning area. It rises in
Utah, enters the planning area in southwestern Uinta County, flows into Utah
again in the northwestern part of Uinta County, reenters the area in south-
western Lincoln County, and exits again north of Cokeville in central Lincoln
County, this time into Idaho. Eventually the Bear River swings west and then
south and is diverted to Bear Lake in Utah. The Bear River Valley is narrow
to moderately wide and seems to have been formed by fluvial deposits.
Agriculture is practiced to a large extent along the Bear River, and the flat
alluvial lands are easily irrigated.
Star Valley Area
In northern Lincoln County, the Star Valley is formed between some low hills
in Idaho and the Salt River Range in Wyoming. Two streams—Greys River and
the Salt River—rise in this area and flow north to meet the Snake River.
Greys River on the east side of the Salt River Range is hardly developed at
all, but the alluvial plains of the Salt River have been largely developed
for agriculture. Dairying is a major activity in this area.
CLIMATE
Most of the study area is characterized as having a high plains, arid type
climate with low rainfall, and a tendency toward moderate to high winds.
Rainfall patterns in the area are shown on Figure 1-3.
The precipitation patterns throughout the annual cycle are given on Figure 1-4
for Rock Springs. The range of temperatures in Rock Springs on an annual
cycle is shown on Figure 1-5.
1-8
-------
HISTORY OF THE AREA
Development in Southwestern Wyoming was largely influenced by the availability
of transportation through the area, particularly in the southern portion.
The Mormon, California, and Oregon Trails all passed through Sweetwater and
Unita Counties after crossing South Pass. Later, the Union Pacific Railroad
route was developed through Sweetwater and Uinta Counties. This route traversed
the entire length of Southwestern Wyoming because of the opportunity to cross
the Continental Divide in the Great Divide Basin and to thereby avoid higher
mountain passes further south or north. Most of the communities in Sweetwater
and Uinta Counties have developed along the railroad or in association with
it. Coal mined in the Rock Springs area was used by the railroad, and Green
River and Evanston are division points for the Union Pacific. Additionally,
Interstate 80 now passes through the area, roughly following the route of the
Union Pacific. Air service in Southwestern Wyoming is provided at Rock
Springs.
Aside from the transportation corridors, the second most important factor in
the development of the area was agriculture. Bridger Valley, Bear River
Valley, and Star Valley have already been mentioned as prime agricultural
areas. Eden Valley in north central Sweetwater County has been developed
through the Big Sandy irrigation project.
Minerals have played a large role in the area's development as well. The
coal deposits in the Rock Spring-Green River area have been mined since the
railroad came through, and coal mining using both surface and subterranean
methods is a cyclic industry. In western Sweetwater County is located the
trona patch. The mining and processing of this mineral, which is largely
used in the manufacture of glass and is also used to produce baking soda, is
a major industry in Sweetwater County. Coal deposits in Lincoln County
around Kemmerer have also been developed. Power plants are located at or
near the coal deposits in both Sweetwater and Lincoln Counties. Other minerals,
such as uranium and oil shale, have been discovered throughout the area.
These minerals are being mined or are slated to be mined.
FUTURE GROWTH OF THE AREA
Tremendous future expansion and growth through the mineral industry and
energy developments is forecast for Sweetwater and Unita Counties and much of
Lincoln County. The coal deposits in Southwestern Wyoming are expected to be
developed in response to the nation's search for additional energy sources.
Two scenarios have been developed during this study to describe potential
future conditions and their related potential water quality impacts. One of
these was titled the energy export scenario and the other the coal export
scenario. The energy export descriptive assumed that the coal would be mined
in the area and used to generate power within the area, whereas the coal
export scenario assumed that the coal would be mined and shipped to power
plants elsewhere.
Whatever the future development pattern, it is likely to cause large increases
in population for existing communities. Rock Springs and Green River already
1-9
-------
experienced tremendous boom growth in the early 1970's. Growth is also
already being experienced in Evanston; Kemmerer; the Bridger Valley communities
of Lyman, Fort Bridger, and Mountain View; and many other smaller communities
throughout the study area, it is largely this potential for future growth
and development as a result of the energy and minerals industry that the
Governor designated this area as a 208 study area. The need was recognized
for the development of a plan to manage water quality in view of the expected
tremendous expansion.
MOST PRESSING WATER CONCERNS
In 1977 perhaps the most pressing water concern has been the lack of sufficient
quantities of water. During this year the area has experienced a drought
period, and streamflows have been extremely low as have the winter snowpacks.
The low flow conditions have magnified some water quality problems.
As found in this study, the most significant water quality problems to the
area are those associated with eutrophication in the reservoirs and salinity
and sediments. The problems of eutrophication and sediments are closely
related, because eutrophication in this area is largely controlled by reductions
of phosphorus, which is mainly carried into streams with sediment.
Phosphorus serves as a nutrient for algae and other aquatic plants. Algae
blooms, as currently being experienced in the upper parts of Flaming Gorge
Reservoir, in Woodruff Narrows Reservoir, and to some extent in other reservoirs
in the area, are largely a nuisance for such recreational use of the waters
as boating, swimming, fishing, or water skiing. Small amounts of algae are
fairly well dispersed through the water, and as their concentration increases,
they become apparent through a green murky appearance of the water. As
additional phosphorus is present, other forms of algae, the blue-greens, can
develop, and these tend to clump together in mats that float on or near the
surface.
Salinity is a concern for two reasons. First, there is a need to control
salinity throughout the Colorado River Basin as a result of interstate and
international agreements. Second, water users in the area are concerned
because of the higher costs associated with the use of saline water for
industrial and municipal purposes.
This study focuses on the problems of salinity, eutrophication, and erosion.
The first half of this report gives a more detailed description of the water
quality situation and the water quality criteria used to measure what are
desirable levels for various pollutants. The description includes not only
parameters associated with the three major problems mentioned above, but many
other water quality parameters also.
1-10
-------
MEAN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION (INCHES)
m
wwi»
FIGURE 1-3
PRECIPITATION PATTERNS
R
CH2M
khill
-------
|3 1.25
X
z
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
FIGURE 1-1
MEAN MONTHLY
PRECIPITATION,
ROCK SPRINGS,
1951-1971
SH2M
HILL
-------
$*>¦
.
.
$§&«£
e m
t-y". -
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
FIGURE 1-5
MEAN MONTHLY
TEMPERATURES,
ROCK SPRINGS,
1951-1974
CH2M
¦¦HILL
-------
-------
Chapter 2
WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
The establishment of water quality criteria is one of the initial steps
toward management of water resources and control of water quality problems.
The water quality criteria developed in this section of the report represent
water quality goals for the study area. They are not to be viewed as water
quality standards. Criteria are valuable in the identification of water
quality problems; standards are the legal values established for controlling
a problem. Standards for the study area can be adopted only by the State of
Wyoming. The decision to recommend that certain water quality criteria be
adopted as water quality standards is made in Chapter 11 only after a thorough
investigation of the environmental, economic, and health impacts of the
decision.
WATER USES IN THE STUDY AREA
Existing and projected uses of the water resources in the study area have
been identified. These uses are the goal or desired uses in the area. For
most stream reaches, the identified uses for the reach are already existing.
Nine water uses, each of which requires a different quality of water, have
been defined in the study area, as described on Table 2-1. The uses identified
for each stream reach are presented on Table 2-2. Water quality criteria
have been developed in terms of the quality needed to allow these uses.
The use-based approach has been selected over the quality-based approach for
the study. The use-based approach presents fewer restrictions on water
resources development, because it permits water quality degradation to the
level specified by the water quality criteria. It is recommended that water
resources development options be kept open at this time because of the uncer-
tainty of future water demands on the area's water resources.
Uses have been generated on a reach-by-reach basis in order to reduce the
16,000-square-mile study area to reasonably sized water quality management
units. A schematic diagram of the 52 reaches delineated in the study area is
shown on Figure 2-1. The schematic diagram has taken some liberties with
reality in order to improve the layout of the figure. A few reaches have
been oriented differently, such as the two upper reaches of the Blacks Fork,
in which the river actually flows south to north, but which the diagram shows
to be oriented west-east. Also, all reaches are the same size in the diagram,
although in reality they vary greatly in stream length and watershed area.
However, all upstream reaches are shown as upstream in the diagram, and all
downstream reaches are shown as downstream.
A preliminary list of the existing and projected water uses in each reach was
presented in the Interim Clean Water Report for Southwestern Wyoming, dated
December 1976. Recommendations on existing use corrections have been received
from local citizens, the Rock Springs District Office of the Bureau of Land
Management, the Green River and Pinedale Offices of the Wyoming Game and Fish
Commission, the Ashley National Forest District of the U.S. Forest Service,
the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, the Wyoming State Engineer's
2-1
-------
Table 2-1
WATER USE DEFINITIONS
Water Use
Secondary Contact Recreation
Primary Contact Recreation
Stream Aesthetics
Reservoir and Lake Aesthetics
Industrial Water Supply
KJ
I
KJ
Agricultural Irrigation
Wildlife and Livestock Watering
Public Water Supply
Fishery
Definition
Water with which the human body may
come in contact, but normally not to the
point of complete submergence. Such
activities include wading, fishing, boating,
and hiking.
Water in which the human body may be
completely submerged with prolonged and
intimate contact. Such activities include
swimming, water skiing, and canoeing.
Streams which have scenic value.
Reservoirs and lakes which have scenic
value.
Raw water diverted from streams or lakes
used by various industries for process
purposes or for removal of heat
after water treatment by the
individual industries.
Water used for the irrigation of crops.
Water used by wildlife (excluding fish)
arid livestock for consumption.
Raw water used for drinking and other
domestic or municipal purposes AFTER
conventional treatment.
Water used to support and propagate a
cold or warm water fishery.
Basis for Establishing Water Quality Criteria
The water must be aesthetically acceptable for the
recreation activities. Ingestion of small amounts
of water and whole body submergence are normally
not expected. Propagation of fish is not included.
The water must be aesthetically acceptable for the
recreation activities and should not cause skin or
eye irritation. Ingestion of small amounts of water
should not cause illness.
Surface water must be virtually free from substances
which impair the visual character of the water body.
The major concern is directed at substances and con-
ditions which produce undesirable aquatic growth.
Surface water must be virtually free from substances
which impair the visual character of the water body.
The major concern is directed at substances and con-
ditions which produce undesirable aquatic growth.
The major industrial uses of water are assumed to be
for coal gasification, petroleum refining, trona pro-
cessing, and power generation. Criteria are based
on the use of raw water diverted to a storage basin
and used for process water or recirculating cooling
systems.
Irrigation water quality is based on the requirements
of alfalfa. Waters are assumed to be used continuously
during the growing season on all soil. Soil conditions
which would further limit water quality are not
specified.
Water quality must ensure short-term and long-term
survival of wildlife and livestock, including waterfowl,
but excluding fish. Substances which will taint meat
or milk are also limited.
Surface water must be potable after conventional water
treatment which is assumed to be (t) coagulation, (2)
sedimentation, (3) rapid sand filtration, and (4) chlorine
disinfection. Substances which interfere with treatment
processes should be limited. Toxic substances (both
acute and chronic) not removed by conventional water
treatment must meet requirements for potable standards.
Water quality must support a rainbow trout fishery. Sub-
stances which taint fish are also limited.
-------
STREAM REACHES AND WATER USES UJ
BASIN
Snake River
RIVER
Snake River
REACH
Snake River
1
REACH BOUNDARIES
Lincoln-Teton County Line
to Palisades Reservoir
<3g
»
-------
Table 2-2 (Continued)
STREAM REACHES AND WATER USES
(1)
BASIN RIVER
Green River (Continued)
Salt Wells
Creek
Killpecker
Creek
Blacks Fork
Smiths Fork
Little Dry
Creek
Muddy Creek
Little
Muddy
Creek
Hams Fork
Henrys Fork
Green River
Below Flaming Red Creak
Gorge
Vtrmillon
Creak
Great Divide Lost Soldier
Basin creek
REACH
Lower
Salt Wells
Creek
Killpecker
Creek
Upper
Lyman Reach
Church Butte 36
Reach
Littie America 37
Reach
Blacks Fork
Arm, Flaming
Gorge
Reservoir
Upper
Lower
Little Dry
Creek
Upper
Lower
Little
Muddy
Creek
Upper
Middle
Lower
Henrys Fork
Red Creek
Vermilion
Creek
Lost Soldier
Creek
im
15
Viva Naughton 46
Reservoir
47
48
49
50
51
52
ts
REACH BOUNDARIES
31 Rock Springs to Creen
River
32 Headwaters to Bitter
Creek
33 Headwaters to Bitter
Creek
34 Utah State Line to County
Hwy. near Robertson
35 County Highway near
Robertson to Smiths Fork
Smiths Fork to Hams Fork
near Cranger
Hams Fork near Granger to
Massacre Hill
38 Massacre Hill to Confluence
with Creen River Arm
39 Utah State Line to County
Hwy. near Robertson
40 County Highway near
Robertson to Blacks Fork
41 Utah State Line to Smiths
Fork
42 Utah State Line to Piedmont
43 Piedmont to Blacks Fork
3s
<
"i it L c p
! 2 5? I
i u i u rj
: a o i
ie c.K vn
Headwaters to Muddy Creek x
Headwaters to Viva Naughton
Reservoir Backwaters x
Backwaters to Dam, Viva
Naughton Reservoir x
Viva Naughton Reservoir
Dam to Kemmerer x
Kemmerer to Blacks Fork x
Utah State Line to Flaming
Gorge Reservoir x
Headwaters to Utah State
Line
Headwaters to Colorado
State Line
Headwaters to Sweetwater-
Carbon County Line
¦o
c ~
is.
o c
£<
>»
c.
<
a
•c £
TZ
-------
*1
55
UsAtl lM
LE6END-
tun mii
III IMI*
IIHl
MCI MlMi
C*CC«
) H*HI
(•III
«J I'MW U
/n kww p*
Uiiitin
i
H|
ii
NMVl »*M
-X
IMW (M
FIGURE 2-1
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
OF STREAM AND RESERVOIR
REACHES
-------
Office, and the Department of Environmental Sanitation for Sweetwater County.
These recommended changes have been reviewed and incorporated into a revised
set of uses for each reach which are presented on Table 2-2.
The revised set of uses includes all the existing surface water uses in the
study area. It also reflects planned surface water uses by the State of
Wyoming, industries, and local citizens. The planned uses by Wyoming concern
primary contact recreation and fisheries in the study area and are listed in
Stream Classifications in Wyoming (dated October 1, 1976). Planned industrial
uses have been obtained from the Southwest Wyoming Industrial Association
(SWIA) . Planned uses by local citizens were learned in public meetings held
during January 1977.
Use of ground water in the study area is small compared to use of surface
water. Areas of major ground water use are shown on Figure 2-2. Ground
water uses include domestic and public water supply, livestock watering,
industrial water supply, and agricultural irrigation.
EXISTING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
Water quality in the study area is presently regulated by the National Interim
Primary Drinking Water Regulations (September 1976), State of Wyoming Water
Quality Standards, and discharge permits issued by Wyoming under the National
Pollutants Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The State of Wyoming Water
Quality Standards are instream standards which apply to surface waters only,
while the Drinking Water Regulations apply to both surface water and ground
water. Discharge permits are issued for major municipal and industrial
dischargers and require best practicable treatment and compliance with Wyoming
Water Quality Standards.
The State of Wyoming standards are based on the protection of game and nongame
fisheries. Surface waters in Wyoming have been divided into three classes
related to the capability of a stream to support a fishery. These classes
are defined on Table 2-3. Classifications for major streams in the study
area are shown on Figure 2-3. Water quality standards associated with each
class are presented on Table 2-4. Many streams in the study area are designated
by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) as Class I, to which the
strictest set of water quality standards apply.
The Colorado Salinity Forum has adopted a policy for implementation of Colorado
River Salinity Standards through the NPDES Permit Program. This policy calls
for limits on point source discharges of salinity of no more than 1 ton per
day or 350 tons per year. The State of Wyoming has not adopted this policy,
however; so at present these salinity standards are not used in the permit
program in the study area.
STUDY CRITERIA
The staff of SWWQPA and their consultants have developed a set of water
quality criteria with assistance from DEQ which are intended to be compatible
with the national interim (1983) water quality fishable/swimmable goal stated
in Public Law 92-500. The proposed standards incorporate three different
2-6
-------
D
[THROUGHOUT
AREA)
LEGEND
D = DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY
P = PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
A = AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION WATER SUPPLY
L = LIVESTOCK WATER SUPPLY
I <= INDUSTRIAL WATER SUPPLY
D
(THROUGHOUT
(THROUGHOUT
AREA)
20 " 40
SCALE IN MILES
60
FIGURE 2-2
GROUND WATER USE
IN STUDY AREA
OL>M
8SHILL
-------
Table 2-3
WYOMING SURFACE WATERS CLASSIFICATION
CLASS I
CLASS II
CLASS III
Waters determined to be presently supporting
game fish or have the hydrologic and natural
water quality to support game fish.
Waters determined to be presently supporting
nongame fish or have the hydrologic and natural
water quality potential to support nongame fish.
Waters determined as not having the hydrologic
or natural water quality potential to support
fish.
Reference: Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations, 1974. Aug. 1974,
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.
2-8
-------
CLASS 1
CLASS II
CLASS III COR UNCLASSIFIED)
FIGURE 2-3
WYOMING
STREAM
CLASSIFICATIONS
10 O >0 to *0 40
SCALE IN MILES
fUfrfrT
I
1
V
CH2M
KHIIL
-------
Table 2-4
WYOMING WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
riass
Parameter (1)
1
II
III
Fecal Coliform
Geometric Mean
May 1 through September 30
200/ 100ml primary contact
1000/100mI secondary contact
May 1 through September 30
200/100ml primary contact
1000/100 ml secondary contact
May 1 throuah September
30 1000/100ml
Dissolved Oxygen
6,0 mg/l
5.0 ma/I
None
Floating Solids
Free From
Oil and Grease
10 mci/l (maximum)
PH
6.5-8.5 units
Radioactive Material
BPT and 3 pCi/l Ra^® 10 pCi/l Sr^ (maximum)
Settleable Solids
Free From
Taste, Odor, and Color
Free From
Free From
None
Temperature
Warm water fish 90°F (max.)
Cold water fish 78 F (max.)
2 /4 maximum increase
Warm water fish 90°F (max.)
Cgldowater fish 78 F (max.)
2 /4 maximum increase
None
Toxic Materials
Free From
Turbidity
10 JTU (mpximum increase)
10 JTU (maximum increase)
None
Total Gas Pressure
110% of atmosphere
(1) Water quality standards from Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations, 1974.
(2) Applies to all still water bodies and certain streams.
-------
sets of water quality criteria or standards—the most recent (September 1976)
National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations, the latest (1975) EPA
Quality Criteria for Water, and the existing State Water Quality Standards
with modifications to the standards on radioactive material and turbidity.
The proposed criteria are designed to make surface waters suitable, wherever
attainable, for primary and secondary contact recreation, wildlife, and
fisheries in accordance with the national goal in Public Law 92-500. They
also protect surface and ground water drinking supplies through the National
Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
Whether the proposed criteria actually satisfy the requirements of PL 92-500
has not been tested yet. These criteria may be judged by the State or Federal
Government not to be in compliance with the Federal law. In this case, they
should be revised.
The study area has three water quality problems which require additional
criteria. Salinity and eutrophication impact water users both within and
outside of the study area. A third water quality problem may involve excessive
concentrations of suspended sediment. These three most significant water
quality problems in the study area do not have established water quality
standards or have unclear standards. Criteria necessary for the evaluation
and management of these three water quality problems have been developed in
this report, as discussed in the following sections on "Salinity Criteria,"
"Phosphorus Criterion," and "Sediment Criterion." The finally developed
criteria for phosphorus and sediments are presented at the end of the chapter
with the criteria for the numerous other constituents sampled in the area.
The salinity criteria developed in this study are defined later in Chapter 8.
SALINITY CRITERIA
Salinity refers to the dissolved solids in water. The major dissolved species
in the study area are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate,
chloride, and sulfate. The salinity criteria developed in this study include
recommended levels for those dissolved species important to the desired water
uses, as well as for total dissolved solids.
Salinity is recognizedby the proposed Wyoming standards as an important
water quality constituent which can cause adverse physical and economic
impacts on water users. Some of these impacts are addressed in the proposed
standards through the incorporation of EPA's Quality Criteria for Water.
Table 2-5 shows the criteria related to salinity in the EPA publication. The
chloride criterion protects the domestic water user from a salty taste in the
water, and the sulfate criterion protects the domestic water user accustomed
to lower sulfate concentrations from the laxative effects of temporarily high
sulfate concentrations. Aquatic life is protected by the alkalinity criterion.
2-11
-------
Table 2-5
EPA SALINITY CRITERIA
Constituent
Criterion
Alkalinity
20 mg/l or more as CaC03 for
fresh water aquatic life except
where natural concentrations
are less
Chloride
250 mg/l or less for domestic
water supplies
Hardness
No specific criterion recommended
Sulfate
250 mg/l or less for domestic
water supplies
Further salinity criteria have been recommended by the Colorado River Basin
Salinity Control Forum. The instream criteria adopted by the Forum call for
the maintenance of 1972 total dissolved solids levels on the lower mainstem
of the Colorado River. However, the criteria do not specify salinity levels
in the Upper Basin for the benefit of the Upper Basin users.
Specific salinity levels are absent from the proposed Wyoming standards for
the protection of irrigators, livestock watering, and industrial users in the
study area. Costs related to salinity borne by these users, and by domestic
users who must soften water or face higher soap consumption, may be large
enough to warrant salinity control measures. These costs are discussed in
Chapter 4. Therefore, salinity criteria in addition to the EPA criteria
shown on Table 2-5 are developed below in order to pinpoint salinity problems
within the study area and indicate where control measures may be feasible.
Salinity Criteria for Agricultural Irrigation
To the irrigators in the study area, total dissolved solids (TDS) and sodium
adsorption ratios (SAR) are two parameters of primary concern. High TDS
reduces the crop's ability to extract water from the soil, while high SAR
ratios reduce the permeability of the soil. The inter-relationship between
TDS and SAR is shown on Figure 2-4, where TDS is measured in terms of conduc-
tivity. Alfalfa, which is the most important crop in the study area, belongs
to the "medium" tolerance category for TDS and SAR, as defined by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. Therefore, the water quality goal for irri-
gation in the study area is taken to be the shaded area on Figure 2-4.
(1) U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1954, Agricultural Handbook, 60.
2-12
-------
SODIUM ADSORPTION RATIO
o
o
in
w
I-
<
o
s
to
a
x
s
o
oc
o
>-
t—
I—«
>
o
3
Q
z
a
o
10W HAZARD
MEDIUM HAZARD
HIGH HAZARD
VERY HIGH
HAZARD
FIGURE 2-4
SALINITY CRITERION FOR AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION
REFERENCEi USDA AGRICULTURAL HANDBOOK 6Q (1954)
OH2M
SSUILL
LOW HAZARD
MEDIUM HAZARD
HIGH HAZARD
VERY HIGH
HAZARD
2250
-------
Salinity Criteria for Wildlife and Livestock Watering
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has imposed the following
salinity effluent limitations on produced water: chlorides not exceeding
2,000 mg/l, sulfates not exceeding 3,000 mg/l, and total dissolved solids not
exceeding 5,000 mg/l. According to DEQ, these limits are based on the eventual
use of produced water for livestock watering. These limits are suggested in
this study as instream water quality criteria for wildlife and livestock
watering.
Salinity Criteria for Industry
Higher salinity levels increase the water softening and demineralization
costs for power plants and industries which require boiler-feed water, process
water, or cooling tower water. The ideal water quality for industrial use is
low mineral content in the water. Because this water quality is technologically
and economically unfeasible to attain for the surface waters where industrial
use is indicated, the industries in the study area will bear some softening
or demineralization costs. The salinity criteria should give an indication
of where these costs are excessive.
The salinity criteria for industry in this study indicate the level where
estimated costs for salinity control exceed the benefits to the study area.
A benefit-cost analysis has already been made on the entire Colorado River
Basin for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. The result of the
basin-wide study was the present position by the Forum that salinity should
not rise above 1972 levels in the Lower Colorado River Basin. A benefit-
cost analysis within the study area provides information to Wyoming on
whether instream or State line salinity standards would be beneficial to the
State. This analysis is done in Chapter 8.
The costs for salinity control in the study area are expected to be high.
Therefore, salinity criteria have been considered for those reaches where the
potential benefits to industry from reduced salinity levels are great. As
discussed later in Chapter 6, large industrial diversions exist or are projected
to occur only in six reaches—Big Island (#16), Green River (#17), Lower
Green River (#18), Green River Arm (#19), Blacks Fork Arm (#38), and Middle
Hams Fork (#47). In this study only these six reaches have salinity criteria
for industry. Specific values for the criteria in these reaches are presented
in Chapter 8 after an analysis of benefits and costs.
Salinity Criteria for Public Water Supply
EPA criteria on sulfates and chlorides are included in the proposed Wyoming
standards. These criteria are related to health and aesthetic impacts of
salinity.
(2) Produced water is defined in the Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Re-
gulations, 1974, as underground water which is brought to the surface
through the pumping of oil and/or gas wells.
2-14
-------
Salinity also affects domestic water users economically, through increased
water softening costs or, in the absence of water softeners, increased soap
costs. Increased costs for domestic water users have been measured as a
function of total hardness in the Lower Colorado River Basin. Based on this
information, hardness criteria in the study area have been developed for
public water supplies. As with the industrial salinity criteria, the public
water supply criteria are based on a benefit-cost analysis. This analysis is
done in Chapter 8.
PHOSPHORUS CRITERION
Eutrophication is an existing or potential problem in all the reservoirs and
lakes in the study area. EPA has conducted eutrophication surveys on seven
lakes and reservoirs within or near the study area. Results from these
surveys indicate that a reduction in phosphorus levels is likely to reduce
algae and weed growth. This improvement is likely to be accompanied by other
improvements, such as better aesthetics, larger game fish populations, and
higher dissolved oxygen levels.
EPA has recommended that phosphorus levels be kept below 0.025 mg/l in lakes
and reservoirs and below 0.050 rnq/l in streams. However, FPA has not considered
the water quality data sufficiently strong to recommend that these phosphorus
values be adopted as water quality criteria. No phosphorus criteria are
listed in EPA's Quality Criteria for Water.
Eutrophication criteria developed in this study have been based on the rela-
tionship between phosphorus and water clarity. Figure 2-5 depicts the rela-
tionship between Secchi disk transparency and total phosphorus in the surface
waters for the lakes and reservoirs in Southwestern Wyoming. Transparency is
only one of the measures of eutrophication. It has been selected for this
study because—
¦ There is sufficient data on it .
¦ Water clarity is a measure of water quality aesthetics to all types
of recreational users.
¦ It correlates well in the study area with other measures of eutro-
phication, such as algal and macrophyte biomass, anoxia, and changes
in fish populations from game fish to rough fish .
Figure 2-5 shows that higher phosphorus concentrations are accompanied by
lower transparencies in all reservoirs except Viva Naughton. Althouqh silt
and sediment may also affect water transparency, the strong correlation
between phosphorus and transparency in six of the seven water bodies at
different times of the year suggests that algal growth is the more important
factor affecting water transparency. Some"other factor besides phosphorus
may be limiting algal growth in Viva Naughton Reservoir, which does not
follow the pattern shown for the other water bodies on Figure 2-5.
As shown on the figure, the relationship between transparency and total
phosphorus in the surface waters is not linear. This nonlinear pattern may
2-15
-------
•VI
WATER QUALITY
0.050
CRITERION
FIGURE 2-5
BASIS FOR PHOSPHORUS CRITERION
B
BS
F
P
S
V
V
MOTE 9
NOTEj
LEGEND
BEAR LAKE
Bt6 SANDY RESERVOIR
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
PALISADES RESERVOIR
SEMINOE RESERVOIR
VIVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR
WOODRUFF NARROWS RESERVOIR
STATIONS ARE NUMBERED I THROUGH N STARTING AT
THE UPSTREAM STATION, THE SAME STATION MAY BE
LISTEO MORE THAN ONCE BECAUSE IT WAS SAMPLED
AT DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE YEAR.
REGION BETWEEN LINES INCLUDES 95X OF DATA POINTS•
EXCLUDING THOSE FOR VIVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR.
•PS
2b
P3»"P5
•PJ
•FS
•B2
•F4BF5W3
FRF7^* {2pS
•F»
•n
•BZ
• P4
•Bt
•fHfj
"S 3ST
SECCM 01S* TRANSPARENCY IIMCHES)
zto
250
-------
be caused by the conversion of algal populations at high phosphorus concentra-
tions from green algae to blue-green algae, which tend to clump near the
surface and severely restrict water clarity. There is little improvement in
transparency until phosphorus concentrations in the surface waters drop below
0.080 mg/l, and there is no significant improvement in transparency for
phosphorus reductions below 0.030 mg/l. A phosphorus level of 0.030 mg/l in
the surface waters is a reasonable water quality goal, because no significant
improvement in transparency is predicted through further phosphorus reductions.
This phosphorus level is predicted to produce water quality in the area's
reservoirs and lakes equivalent to the present conditions in Bear Lake or the
lower reaches of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and Palisades Reservoir.
There are not sufficient transparency data on the area's streams to recommend
a phosphorus criterion for streams on the basis of transparency. The existing
phosphorus loads in the streams have not impaired the recreational use on
them due to excessive algae or weed growths. Algal and weed growth is heavy
on the Blacks Fork below Lyman, but little recreational activity occurs in
this area. Algal growth is also moderately heavy in the Big Island and Green
River reaches of the Green River. This growth has caused some clogging of
industrial and municipal intakes in these reaches. In order to reach desirable
phosphorus concentrations in the lakes and reservoirs, phosphorus loads
carried by streams will have to be reduced from their existing levels. The
phosphorus criterion for lakes and reservoirs is expected to protect the
major streams from eutrophication, and no phosphorus criterion is recommended
for the area streams.
SEDIMENT CRITERION
Turbidity and total suspended solids are frequently considered synonymous,
since both are often related to sediments. High turbidity or high suspended
solids in the Southwestern Wyoming area indicate that erosion has taken
place. Furthermore, high levels of either generally indicate a potential
impairment to fisheries.
There is no Wyoming standard for suspended solids. There is a Wyoming turbidity
standard measured in Jackson Turbidity Units (JTU) . The EPA criterion for
sediment is in terms of a change in the compensation point from the seasonal
norm. (3) However, the water quality data on sediments are generally given in
mg/l of total suspended solids. Because the Wyoming standard and the EPA
criterion for sediment are in different units than the units used to measure
sediment concentrations in the study area, violations of the standard or
criterion cannot be identified.
The Interim Clean Water Report for this study area presented possible criteria
for sediment based on the protection of fisheries. Those criteria and their
references are listed on Table 2-6. All of those criteria are measured in
(3) The compensation point is the depth below the surface at which oxygen
consumption from respiration and decomposition equals oxygen pro-
duction by photosynthesis.
2-17
-------
Table 2-6
POSSIBLE FISHERIES CRITERIA FOR SEDIMENT
(mg/l of total suspended solids)
Level of
Protection
National
Academy of
Science,
1972 (D
McKee and
Wolf,
1963(*)
EPA,
Oct. 10,
1975(3)
Davies &
Goettl,
July 1976 CO
Ultimate
25
None
25
None
Good
80
Given
80
Given
Fair
400
400
(1) National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering, 1972,
Water quality criter 1972.
(2) Jack Edward McKee and Harold W. Wolf, 1963, Water quality criteria.
(3) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Oct. 10, 1975, Quality criteria
for water, draft.
(4) Patrick H. Davies and John P. Goettl, July 1976, Aquatic life—Water
quality recommendations for heavy metals and other inorganic toxicants
in fresh water.
2-18
-------
the traditional units of mg/l of total suspended solids. However, none of
those criteria has been adopted by Wyoming as a standard or accepted by EPA
as a criterion.
In order to measure a fisheries use impairment, this study has used 80 mg/l
of total suspended solids as the criterion for sediment. It is recognized
that this criterion may not reflect existing or potential fisheries use
impairment. However, until more information is gathered on harmful sediment
levels to fish in the study area, it will be used to indicate water quality
problems.
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Definition of Water Use
Instream water quality criteria in this study are use-based, as discussed at
the beginning of this chapter. They are designed to protect the existing and
projected uses of water within the study area. The nine uses of water in the
study area were defined on Table 2-1. Several assumptions were made about
some of the uses to develop the criteria.
Some water treatment is assumed to occur before water is used by industry or
municipalities. Most industries in the study area presently store water in a
forebay or small pond to ensure a dependable water supply. During storage
most of the suspended solids settle out. Storage is assumed to continue as
an industrial practice in the study area, and therefore suspended solids
criteria for industry have not been considered necessary.
Treatment is also assumed before water is used for public water supplies.
The type of treatment is described on Table 2-1. This treatment is commonly
done in the study area at the present time for surface water supplies.
Because this treatment is assumed before use, no coliform limits have been
set for drinking water supplies from surface waters. Conventional water
treatment is capable of routinely eliminating fecal coliform in the raw
drinking water supplies.
As noted on Table 2-1, fisheries criteria are based on the propagation and
protection of rainbow trout. EPA's Quality Criteria for Water, which are
included in the proposed Wyoming standards, state many of the fishery criteria
in terms of 96-hour LCwhich is the concentration at which 50 percent of
an indicator species population dies within 96 hours. These concentrations
vary considerably for different species of fish. Fisheries criteria in this
report were based on 96-hour LC for rainbow trout, which is one of the most
sensitive species to contaminants in water. Rainbow trout is one of the two
most important game fish within the study area.
Instream Criteria For Sampled Constituents
The instream water quality criteria for each surface water use are presented
on Table 2-7 for 33 of the constituents on which some water quality data have
been collected. No criteria have been developed for an additional 17 con-
stituents that have available data. The source for the criteria for each use
2-19
-------
Table 2-7
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA BY USE FOR SAMPLED CONSTITUENTS(1)
Wildlife
Constituent
Secondary
Contact
Recreation
Primary
Contact
Recreation
Stream
Aesthetics
Reservoir and
Lake Aesthetics
Industrial
Water
Supply
Agricultural...
Irrigation
and
Livestock
Waterina
Public
Water
Supply
Fishery
Alkalinity
Ammonia, un-ionlzed
(as N)
>20
0.02
Arsenic
Barium
Beryllium
Boron
Cadmium
0.10
O.SO
0.75
O.OS
1.0
0.010
0.011 (soft
1.1 (hard)
0.0004 [sof
0.0012 fhai
Chloride
Chromium
Conform, Fecal
(#/100mi)
Color
Copper
1,000
200(3)
2,000
250
O.OS
1.0
0.10
(7)
0.006 (soft'
0.06 (hard!
Fluoride
Hardness, Total
(as CaCOJ
Iron J
Lead
2.2
(5)
0.05
1.0
0.01 (soft)
S (hard)
Mercury
Nickel
Nitrate + Nitrite
(as N)
0::ygen, Dissolved
pH (units)
Aerobic
Aerobic
O.OS
2
TO
0.05
0.01 (soft)
1.0 (hard)
6.0
6.5-8.5
Phenol
Phosphorus, Total
(as P)
Polyehlorinated
Biphenyls
0.03
0.001
0.001
kadioactivlty
Cross Alpha Particle
Activity (pCi/l)
Selenium
Sodium Adsorption
Ratio
<61
15
0.01
0.025
bollds. Total
Dissolved
Solids, Total
Suspended
Sulfate
W
(6)
5,000
3.000
250
80
Temperature (Max.
change in degrees
C)
1.1° (cold
water)
2.2° (warn-
w«Itr)
Turbidity (Max.
Increase In JTU)
Zinc
S.O
10 (game)
IS (nongarr
0.009 (soft)
0.072 (hare
(1) Reach designation! are given cm Table 2-1. All criteria arc In mp/l except for pH, sodium adsorption ratio, and where specified.
(2) Agricultural Irrigation criteria apply only to the May 1-September 30 period.
(3) Primary contact recreation criterion (200/100ml) applies only to the May 1-Saptember 30 period. At other times, the secondary contact
recreation criterion (1,000/100ml) governs.
(4) Criterion will be determined in Chapter 9 for industry after examination of costs and benefits.
(5) Criterion will be developed In Chapter 9 for public water supply «fter examination of costs and benefits.
(6) See Figure 2-4 In text.
2-20
-------
is identified on Table 2-8. Five criteria have been developed specifically
for this study. They are total hardness, total phosphorus, SAR, TDS, and
total suspended solids.
As noted on Table 2-7, criteria for primary contact recreation and agricultural
irrigation apply only to the period from May 1 to September 30. Neither of
these two uses is expected to occur during late fall and winter.
Several of the fisheries criteria listed on Table 2-7 have two levels based
on whether the fishery is game or nongame and whether the water is hard or
soft. Designations of game and nongame fisheries have been taken from Stream
Classifications in Wyoming, dated October 1, 1976. The only designated
nongame fisheries in the study area occur in Twin Creek, Upper Bitter Creek,
the Blacks Fork reaches downstream of Smiths Fork, and Little Muddy Creek.
A reach has been classified "hard water" if the average total hardness concen-
tration at a station in the reach exceeds 150 mg/l as CaCO^. Those reaches
classified as "hard water" are Lower Big Sandy River; Lyman, Church Butte,
and Blacks Fork Arm in the Blacks Fork; Lower Muddy Creek; and Twin Creek
during the October 1 - February 28 period.
The metal criteria on Table 2-7 pertain to the dissolved species only.
Toxicity data are not adequate to set criteria for the particulate forms.
Water quality criteria for the constituents on Table 2-7 have been generated
on a reach-by-reach basis on Table 2-9. When there are two or more criteria
for a particular constituent in a reach, the stiffest criterion has been
selected. For example, two arsenic criteria are applicable to Reach 6 (Bear
River above Evanston), 0.10 mg/l for agricultural irrigation and 0.05 mg/l
for public water supply. The arsenic criterion which appears on Table 2-9
is 0.05 mg/l, which is the stiffer of the two applicable arsenic criteria.
As shown on Table 2-9, 24 sets of water criteria are needed to cover the
various use combinations in the 52 reaches within the study area.
Instream Criteria For Unsampled Constituents
Water quality criteria shown on Table 2-7 and Table 2-9 are for 33 constituents
on which some water quality data have been collected in the study area. An
additional 27 water quality criteria are included in the proposed Wyoming
standards; however, no water quality data exist in the study area for these
constituents. Criteria for these 27 constituents are presented on a reach-
by-reach basis on Table 2-10, The pesticide and metal criteria pertain to
the soluble species.
GROUND WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Four existing or projected uses have been identified for ground water in the
study area. These uses are for industrial water supply, agricultural irriga-
tion, wildlife and livestock watering, and domestic and public water supply.
Water quality criteria for each of these uses are shown on Table 2-11.
2-21
-------
The ground water quality criteria are the same as those used for evaluating
surface water quality with a single exception. The fecal coliform criterion
contained in the National Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations (four
colonies per 100ml) has been included in the ground water criteria, because
unlike surface water supplies most ground water drinking supplies in the area
are domestic rather than public water supplies and are not undergoing conven-
tional disinfection treatment before use.
2-22
-------
Table 2-8
SOURCE OF WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
Surface Water Use
Secondary Contact Recreation
Primary Contact Recreation
Stream Aesthetics
Reservoir and Lake Aesthetics
Industrial Water Supply
Agricultural Irrigation
Wildlife and Livestock Watering
Public Water Supply
Fishery
Criteria Source
Wyoming Water Quality Standards
Wyoming Water Quality Standards
Quality Criteria for Water
Quality Criteria for Water
and 208 study
208 study
Quality Criteria for Water
and 208 study
Quality Criteria for Water
and Wyoming standards for
produced water
National Interim Primary
Drinking Water Regulations
and 208 study
Quality Criteria for Water,
Wyoming Water Quality Standards,
and 208 study
2-23
-------
Tab)* 2-9
SURFACE WATER QUALITY CRITERIA BY REACH FOR SAMPLED CONSTITUENTS(1J
Reach
Reach
Off-
Reach
3X7:9.
10,12,21-
23,25,27,
14,40-12,
15,49,51
Reach
nr
Baach
OOl
Raach
Reach
Raach
Raach
Raach
Constituents
Raach
TTTT
Alkalinity (as CaCO,)
Ammonia, Un-ionixeC
(as Nt„
Arsenic '
>20
0.02
>20
0.02
>20
0.02
0.10
>20
0.02
>20
0.02
0.05
>20
0.02
0.10
>20
0.02
>20
0.02
0 10
>20
0.02
0.0!
>20
0.02
(1.10
>20
0.02
n to
Barium ,,
Cadmium
0.011
0.0001
0.011
0.0004
0.011
0.7S
0.0004
0.011
0.0004
1.0
0.011
0.7S
0.0004
0.011
0.75
0.0004
0.011
O.IXMW'"
0.011
0.7S
0 0004
1.0
0.011
0.7S
0.0004
1.0
0.011
0.7$
0.0004
0.011
0.7S
0 0004
Chloride
Chromium
Conform, Fecal
WlOOmir37
Color
Copper
T8SB-
0.10
200
(7)
0.006
5.646
0.10
1.000
<7)
o.ooc
J. 6M
0.10
1.000
(71
0.006
MM
0.10
200
(7)
0.006
Ho
0.05
1,000
(7)
0.006
2,000
0.10
200
(7)
0.006
2,000
0.10
1,000
ai (81
o.oot"'
2,000
0.10
2Q0
cri
0.006
250
o.os
200
(7)
O.OOC
250
O.OS
200
(7)
0.006
2,000
0.10
200
m
0.006
Hardness, Total
l«s CaCO.)
Iron 3
1.0
1.0
T .0
1.0
, -j.j. ¦ -
(5)
1.0
1.0
1.0 ...
1.0
2.2
(5)
1.0
2.2
(5)
1.0
1.0
Leae
Mercury (ug/l)
Nickel
t.M" " 1
0.05
0.1
'¦ Ol
0.05
0.1
6.61™
0.05
0.1
0.01
0.05
0.1
0.01
0.05
0.1
0.01
0.05
0.1
«o"w
t>
0.01
0.05
1). t
0.01
0.05
0.1
0.01
O.OS
D.l
0.01
O.OS
0 1
Nitrate * Nitrite
las N)
Oxyqen. Dissolved
6.0
6.0
6.0
6.0
10
6.0
6.0
is.fl
*0
10
K.O
10
(A
K It
pn
Phenoi
Phosphorus, Total
. (as P)
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
0.03
6,5-8.5
0.001
6.5-8.5
0.03
(.5-1.5
6.5-8.S
6.5-8.5
0.0O1
0.03
6.5-8.5
o.ooi
O.OS
6,5-8.5
rolyehlorinated
Blphenyis (ug/l)
Radioactivity—Cross
Alpha Particle
... Density (dCI/II
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
?s
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
IS
0.001
IS
0.001
selenium
Sodium ^^sorption
Solids, Total,.
Dissolved^'
0.025
5.000
0.025
S.000
0.025
16)
(6)
0.025
S.000
0.01
(6)
(S)
0.025
<«)
0.025
It)
14) («1
Solids. Total
Suspended
Sulfate
Temperature
80
3.000
1.1
SO
3.000
1.1
SO
3.000
1.1
so
3.000
1.1
Agricultural irrigation criteria (arsenic when equal to 0.10 mp/l. beryllium whan equal to 0.S0 mg/l, boron, sodium adsorption ratio, art
tout dissolved solids) apply only to the May t-Septemb«r 30 period.
(3) Primary contact recreation criterion (200/100ml) applies only to the May t-September 30 period. At other timet, the secondary contact
recreation criterion (l.OOO/IOOml) governs.
(4) Criterion will be determined in Chapter! for industry after examination of costs and benefits.
(5) Criterion will be developed in Chapter 8 for public watar supply after examination of coats and benefits.
(6) See Figure 2-4 in text.
(7| Shouicf not reduce compensation point by more than 10 percent from seasonally established norm.
iB) Criterion applies to March 1-September 30 period. At other times, criteria ere 1.1 mg/l for berrylllum. 0.0012 mg/l far cadmium. 0.M
mg/l for copper. S.O mg/l for lead, and 1.0 mg/l for nickel, and 0.072 mg/l (tor zinc because of harder water.
2-24
-------
Reach
Reach
T5
R«ach
tt
Reach
JOT
Reich
28,30-33,
52
Reach
53
Reech
51
Reech
1?
Reach
57
Reach
55—
Reach
55
Reech
57
Reach
57
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
>20
0.02
0.05
0.02
o.os
0.02
n os
0.02
0.02
0.10
0.02
0 05
0.02
o in
0 10
0.02
n in
0.02
0.02
0.02
n OK
1.0
0.011
0.75
0•0004
1.0
0.011
0.0004
1.0
0,011
0.0004
1.1
0.0012
0.011
0.75
0.0001
1.0
1.1
0.75
0.0012
l.l
0.75
0.0012
0.50
0.75
0.50
0.75
0.0012
0.011
0.0004
0.011
o.ooou
1.0
0.011
0.75
0.0004-
250
0.05
250
0.05
250
0.D5
2,000
0.10
2,000
2,000
0.10
250
0.05
2,000
0.10
2,000
2,000
0.10
2,000
0.10
2.000
0.10
250
0.05
200
(7)
0.006
200
(7)
0.006
200
(7)
0.006
1,000
(7)
0.06
1,000
1,000
(7)
0.006
1,000
(7)
0.06
1,000
(7)
0.06
1,000
f7)
200
(7)
0.06
1,000
(7)
0.006
1,000
(7)
0.006
1,000
(7)
0 006._
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
(5)
1.0
(5)
1.0
(5)
1.0
1.0
1.0
(5)
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
i :o
(5)
1 0 .
0.01
0.05
0.1
0.01
0.05
0.1
0.01
0.05
P.l
5.
0.05
1.0
0.05
0.01
0.05
0.1
5.
0.05
1.0
5.
0.05
1 0
0.05
5.
0.05
1.0
0.01
0.05
0 1
0.01
0.05
n l
0.01
0.05
n 1 .
10
6.0
10
6.0
10
6.0
6.0
Aerobic
6.0
10
6.0
6.0
Aerobic
6.0
6.0
6.0
10
6 0
6.5-8.5
0.001
6.5-8.5
0.001
0.03
6.5-8.5
0.001
0.03 ,
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
0.001
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
0.01
6.5-8.5
6.5-8.5
n oi
6.5-8•!
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
0.001
15
If
, 15
15
1*
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.025
0.025
0.01
0.025
0.025
0.025
0.01
0.01
(6)
5,000
(6)
(6)
(6)
(6)
(6)
(6)
W(6)
5,000
5,000
5,000
(6)
(6)
(6)
(«)
(1) (6)
5,000
(«) (6L
80
250
1.1
80
250
1.1
60
250
1.1
80
3.000
1.1
3,000
to
3.000
1.1
80
250
1.1
80
3,000
2.2
3,000
80
3.000
1.1
80
3.000
1.1
80
3.000
1.1
80
250
1.1
10
0.009
10
0.009
10
0.009
10
0.072
15
0.009
10
0.072
15
0.072
10
0.072
15
0.009
10
0.009
10
0.009
3-25
-------
Table 2-10
SURFACE WATER .QUALITY CRITERIA FOR CONSTITUENTS WITH NO WATER
QUALITY DATA
Constituents Reach/2' Reach/3' Reach ^
Aesthetics (5) (5) (S)
Chlorine, Free . .
Residual 0.002 0.0021 J
Cyanide 0.005 0.005 0.005
Cases, Total
Dissolved
(% saturation) <110 <110
Oil and Crease 10 10
Pesticides (ug/l)
2, 4-D 100
2, 4, 5-TP, Si I vex 10
Aldrin-Dieldrin 0.003 0.003
Chiordane 0.01 0.01
DDT 0,001 0,001
Demeton 0.1 0,1
Endosulfan 0.003 0.003
Endrin 0.004 0.004
Guthion 0.01 0.01
Heptachlor 0.001 0.001
Lindane 0.01 0.01
Malathion 0.1 0.1
Methoxychlor 0.03 0.03
Mirex 0.001 0.001
Parathion 0.04 0.04
Toxaphene 0.005 0.005
Phthalate Esters 0.003 0.003
Radioactivity (pCi/l)
Radium-226 +
Radiurr-228 5 5
Stronti um-90 8 8
Silver 0.05
Solids, Settleable
and Floating Free from Free from
Sulfide, Undissociated
Hydrogen 0.002 0.002
(1) All units In mg/l except as noted. Data used in this report came from
WRDS, STORET, and the SWV'QPA monitoring program.
(2) Reaches 6, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 35, 39, 47, 48. Reach designations are
listed on Table 2-2.
(3) Reaches 1-5, 7-13, 16, 18, 21-27, 29, 34, 36, 38, 40-46, 49-51. Reach
designations are listed on Table 2-2.
(4) Reaches 28, 30-33, 37, 52. Reach designations are listed on Table 2-2.
(5) Free from substances which settle to form objectionable deposits; which
float as debris, scum, oil, or other matter to form nuisances; which
produce objectionable color, odor, taste, or turbidity; which produce
undesirable or nuisance aquatic life; and which injure, are toxic, or
produce adverse physiological responses in humans, animals, or
plants.
(6) Criterion is 0.01 mg/l for nongame fisheries (Reaches 11, 29, 36, 44).
2-26
-------
Table 2-11
GROUND WATFR QUALITY CRITERIA BY USF(1)
Criterion
Wildlife
Industrial and Public
Water Agricultural Livestock Water
Constituent Supply Irrigation Watering Supply
Arsenic 0.10 0.05
Barium 1.0
Beryllium 0.50
Boron 0.75
Cadmium 0.010
Chloride 2,000 250
Chromium 0.05
Co I i form, Fecal (#/100ml) 4
Copper 1.0
Fluoride 2.2
Hardness, Total (as CaCO ) (4)
Lead 3 0.05
Mercury (mg/l) 0.05 2
Nitrate + Nitrite (as N) 10
Orqanic Chemicals
2, 4-D 0.1
2 , 4, 5-TP Si Ivex 0.01
Endrin 0.0002
Lindane 0.004
Methoxychlor 0.1
Toxaphene 0.005
Phenol 0.001
Radioactivity (pCi/l)
Cross Alpha Particle
Activity 15
Radium 226+ Radium 228 5
Selenium 0.01
Silver 0.05
Sodium Adsorption Ratio (5)
Solids, Total Dissolved (3) (5) 5,000
Sulfate 3,000 250
Zinc 5.0
(1) All criteria in mg/l except for Sodium Adsorption Ratio or unless otherwise noted-
(2) Agricultural irrigation criteria apply only to the March 1-September 30 period.
(3) Criterion will be developed later in report for industry after examination of
costs and benefits.
(4) Criterion will be developed later in report for public water supply after exami-
nation of costs and benefits.
(5) See Figure 2-3 in text.
2-27
-------
-------
Chapter 3
EXISTING INSTREAM WATER QUALITY
Most waters in the study area are sustaining fish and wildlife, do not pose
any health hazards, and are suitable for recreational purposes. However,
several reaches within the study area do have water quality problems.
Water quality problems are defined in this study in terms of the use of the
water, just as quality criteria have been given in Chapter 2 in terms of use.
A water quality problem is considered to exist when the quality prohibits or
impairs the identified use of that water. In other words, an existing or
potential use impairment is assumed to occur when instream concentrations
exceed the water quality criteria developed in Chapter 2. This chapter
identifies those reaches where existing water quality presents an impairment
of existing or projected uses of the reaches as established in Chapter 2.
Use impairment by projected future water quality is discussed in Chapter 6.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has documented several
instances of instream concentrations in the study area exceeding existing
State and Federal water quality standards. These violations of water quality
standards are mentioned in this chapter. In all cases, the reaches with
violations of the standards also show use impairment. Use impairment as
defined in this report occurs when concentrations in a particular reach have
exceeded the criteria for the use.
WATER QUALITY DATA
Water quality data are abundant for the area. The abundance of data is
largely a result of documented salinity problems downstream in the Lower
Colorado River Basin and an early recognition of the potential water quality
impacts of energy development in the area.
Water quality data used in this study come from STORET, the Wyoming Water
Resources Data System (WRDS), and a monitoring program set up by SWWQPA.
Locations of the water quality and flow gauging stations used in this report
are shown on Figure 3-1. These stations are identified by the STORET or WRDS
name and number in Appendix A. Most of the stations are located at the
downstream end of a reach. Water quality within a reach is a composite of
all the water quality information from all the stations in that reach. Water
quality data cover the 1970-1976 period.
Three categories of water quality information exist within the study area.
The first category includes 17 constituents for which water quality data
exist in the study area, but for which no instream water quality criteria
have been developed. These constituents are calcium hardness, total and
dissolved nitrogen, nitrite, dissolved reactive phosphorus, chemical and
biochemical oxygen demand, potassium, sodium, aluminum, magnesium, manganese,
molybdenum, vanadium, conductivity, carbon dioxide, and algal biomass.
3-1
-------
i«a&
\
NOTEi NUMBER INDICATES REACH IN
WHICH THE STATION IS LOCATED,
i7
FIGURE 3-1
LOCATION OF FLOW GAUGING
AND WATER QUALITY STATIONS
. .fffm 2
10
10 20 90 40
SCALC IN MILES
-J6*tiB#sgL_
nowiwmt
W
J
—««49
CHifv
"HIU
-------
A second category includes 27 constituents with water quality criteria but
without water quality data available from any of the data sources used in
this report. These constituents are listed on Table 2-10. There are two
explanations why these constituents may not have been monitored in the past.
Many are organic chemicals that are not routinely analyzed and are expensive
to analyze. Also, water quality monitoring agencies have apparently assumed
that these constituents are not likely to reach critical levels in the study
area.
The final group includes 33 water quality constituents for which criteria
have been developed and for which data are available. These constituents are
listed on Table 2-9. Where water quality data and criteria on a constituent
are available, use impairments can be identified by measuring existing water
quality against the desirable water quality for each use. If all the constit-
uents with criteria in a reach have associated water quality data, confident
identification can be made of all use impairments in a reach. However, in
most reaches, many of the constituents with criteria do not have water quality
data associated with them. Figure 3-2 indicates those reaches with the most
complete sampling of all constituents with criteria. At least 75 percent of
the constituents with criteria have been monitored one or more times in the
22 reaches called out in the figure.
In a few cases a use impairment has been assumed in the absence of any water
quality data. The assumed use impairment in a particular reach has been used
on water quality data gathered in the immediate upstream reach (es) and down-
stream reach. The reaches where a use impairment is assumed are identified
later in this chapter.
The extent of the water quality monitoring program to date is shown on Table 3-1
for the 33 constituents for which water quality ^criteria have been developed
and on which water quality data are available. Several conclusions can be
made about the water quality monitoring program to date from information
contained on the table:
¦ Extensive monitoring of water quality has taken place in the study
area.
¦ The monitoring program has emphasized salinity-related and eutro-
phication-related constituents, dissolved oxygen, and pH.
¦ The monitoring program has been relatively weak in metals, in
organics such'as phenols and polychlorinated biphenyls, and in
aesthetic-related constituents such as color.
¦ Widespread monitoring of fluoride, total hardness, nitrates, and
phosphorus has occurred in reaches where the criteria for these
constituents is not applicable because the uses associated with the
criteria are not applicable for those reaches.
3-3
-------
iMlVMft IIM
Vim MU
H
«KM o
U*C«1 f|M
MKII flki
tJZBsMM
iiirti Mr
AT LEAST 7SX OF
CONSTITUENTS \*ITH
CRITERIA MONITORED
U IU«
tllU
ItCCND
u«n mil
Ml MIUI
ttitca cmcc
ItiM
•IfUt c«if
»IMil
•MKMII
WNnl tHf
FIGURE 3-2
REACHES WITH MOST
COMPLETE MONITORING
-------
Table 3-1
EXTENT OF WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN STUDY AREA
Constituent
Water
Quality
Criterion
and Data
Water
Quality
Criterion,
No Data
Water
Quality
Data,
Criterion
Not
Applicable
Water
Quality
Criterion,
Not
Applicable,
No Data
Alkalinity 35
Ammonia, Un-ionized 25
Arsenic 16
Barium 2
Beryllium 12
Boron 24
Cadmium 20
Chloride 35
Chromium 17
Coliform, Fecal 27
Color 1
Copper 17
Fluoride 9
Hardness, Total 9
Iron 26
Lead 23
Mercury 21
Nickel 16
Nitrate + Nitrite 7
Oxygen, Dissolved 39
PH 33
Phenol 0
Phosphorus, Total 7
Polychlorinated
Biphenyls 6
Radioactivity—Cross
Alpha Particle
Activity 1
Selenium 19
Sodium Adsorption
Ratio 26
Solids, Total
Dissolved 33
Solids, Total
Suspended 26
Sulfate 37
Temperature 37
Turbidity 27
Zinc 22
(Number of Reaches)
10 6 1
20 4 3
20 5 11
10 7 33
33 3 4
10 11 7
25 3 4
17 0 0
28 3 4
25 0 0
44 0 7
28 3 4
3 26 14
3 28 12
19 6 1
22 6 1
31 0 0
29 2 5
5 16 24
13 0 0
12 5 2
12 1 39
1 27 17
39 0 7
11 1 39
26 3 4
8 10 8
19 0 0
19 6 1
15 0 0
8 7 0
18 6 1
23 3 4
3-5
-------
DOCUMENTED WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS
DEQ publishes a 305(B) report each year which documents general surface water
quality in Wyoming, violations of State Water Quality Standards, and violations
of NPDES discharge permits. Violations of State Water Ouality Standards in
1976 in the study area are shown on Figure. 3-3. The temperature violations
were considered marginal and not harmful to fisheries. Widespread violations
of the pH standard were also found in the study area; however, all these
violations were marginal and attributed to natural causes.
The Green River in the Lower Green River reach was designated by DEQ as a
"problem segment" because of high fecal coliform and nutrient concentrations.
Killpecker Creek was identified as a possible "problem segment."
MEASUREMENT OF WATER QUALITY
Two interpretations of use impairment have been made in this study. Under
the first interpretation, a water use is considered impaired if the concentra-
tion in any sample exceeds the water quality criterion. Under the second
interpretation, a water use is considered impaired if the concentrations of a
particular constituent exceed the water quality criteria for that use a
certain percentage of the time. Which of the two interpretations of water
quality is the more suitable depends on the constituent being considered.
The selected approach to each constituent whose water quality criteria have
been exceeded is presented on Table 3-2.
The maximum-concentration approach has been selected for all constituents
associated with acute or short-term effects. These effects include—
¦ The toxicity to fish of temporarily high ammonia or low dissolved
oxygen concentrations.
¦ The greater possibility of viral infections with consumption of
water containing fecal coliforms.
¦ Eutrophication associated with temporarily high phosphorus concentrations.
¦ The laxative consequences of water temporarily high in sulfates.
¦ Dehydration in livestock and wildlife because of their avoidance of
water temporarily high in chlorides.
¦ Blood disorders in infants drinking water temporarily high in
nitrates and nitrites.
Table 3-3 identifies those reaches in which concentrations in any sample have
exceeded the criteria. Under this first interpretation of water quality,
every use except stream aesthetics has at least one reach where impairment of
that use occurs. Fishery has the greatest number of impaired reaches; 28 of
the 33 reaches on which data are available, and 28 of the 45 reaches which
designate a fishery as an existing or potential use, show impairment of this
use.
3-6
-------
LEGEND*
1«4M IM
|N|M| fM
Mia
lUtl WU
FECAL COL IFORM
FECAL COLIFORM
FECAL COL1F0RM
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
unit cam
FECAL COLIFORM
lag- k
UMMf W(m«*A
MM MMMMUL
aJ %wm U
f*i nwiif
^ M*l HM«f
MIUIU
!
(kii mimlni!
t«m r~°r:
ii
II
X
»«*»« IM
««M |I«H iM
FIGURE 3-3
DOCUMENTED VIOLATIONS
OF STATE HATER QUALITY
STANDARDS IN 1976
-------
Table 3-2
MEASUREMENT OF WATER QUALITY
Selected Approach to Water Quality
Maximum Concentration Concentration Greater
In Any Sample Greater Than Water Quality
Than Water Quality Criterion One-Half
Constituent Criterion of the Time
Alkalinity X
Ammonia, Un-ionized X
Beryllium X
Boron X
Cadmium X
Chloride X
Coliform, Fecal X
Copper X
Hardness, Total X
Iron X
Lead X
Mercury X
Nitrate-Nitrogen X
Oxygen, Dissolved X
pH X
Phosphorus, Total X
SAR-TDS X
Solids, Total
Dissolved X
Solids, Total
Suspended X
Sulfate X
Zinc X
3-8
-------
Table 3-3
REACHES IN WHICH CRITERIA
Use
Secondary Contact
Recreation
Primary Contact
Recreation
Stream Aesthetics
Reservoir and Lake
Aesthetics
Industrial Water Supply
Agricultural
Irrigation
Wildlife and Livestock
Watering
ARE EXCEEDED IN ANY SAMPLE
(1)
Public Water Supply
Fishery
Exceeded Criterion
Fecal Coliform
Fecal Coliform
None
Total Phosphorus
Not revelant
Boron
SAR-TDS
Chloride
Mercury
Sulfate
Total Dissolved Solids
Total Hardness
Nitrate
Radioactivity—Cross
Alpha Particle
Activity
Sulfate
Ammonia, Un-ionized
Beryl Hum
Cadmium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Oxygen, Dissolved
pH
Solids, Total Suspended
Zinc
Reach Number
(2)
18,29,31,32,33,
40,47
13,15,16,17,18
5,8,19,20,25,
39,46
40, 47
10,16,17,18,25,
27,29,35,37,40,
48,51
33
1,13,15,17,25,
44,51
29,33
33
Criterion not yet
developed
4
40
17,20,35
1,13,17,
29,43,
48,51
27,34
1,8,11,1
18.25,
44,47,
8,11,13,
35
1,13,17,
1,13,15,
44,51
1,18,20,
1,5,13,1
18,20,
35.39,
48,49
1,11,13,
25.26,
40,43,
50,51
1,6,8,11
17,18,
35.40,
49,51
,48
18,27,
44,47,
3,15,17,
29,39,40,
48,51
17,25,48
20
17,25,
47,48
5,16,17,
25,27,34,
43.44.47,
16,17,22,
27,29,34,35,
44.47.48,
,13,15,
20,25,29,
44,47,48,
(1) Criteria which have not been exceeded are not included.
(2) Reach designations are defined on Table 2-2.
3-9
-------
The percentage-of-time approach has been selected for all constituents associ-
ated with chronic, cumulative, or lona-term effects. These constituents
include—
¦ Metals, which are not acute toxins at concentrations found in the
study area.
¦ Boron, which is a cumulative poison to crops.
* Total dissolved solids, which can lead to gall-stones in cattle
with prolonged consumption.
a SAR-TDS, which when in high concentrations in irrigation water,
tend to break down soil structure over time and make water less
available to crops.
¦ Alkalinity and total hardness, which are related to increased costs
for industry and domestic water uses.
11 Total suspended solids, whose eventual deposition can cause a loss
of fish habitat.
Also, pH has been included in the chronic category because it strongly affects
the ammonia concentrations and solubility of metals.
Under the second interpretation, a water use is considered impaired if the
concentrations of a particular constituent exceed the water quality criteria
for use a certain percentage of the time. An example of the type of graph
used to determine this percentage of time is given on Figure 3-4. As shown
in the figure, fecal coliform concentrations in the Lower Green River reach
are estimated to remain within the secondary contact recreation criterion 68
percent of the time in the wet period (April-September) and 83 percent of the
time in the dry period (October-March).
Two assumptions were made about the water quality data in order to develop a
graph like Figure 3-4. The first assumption was that there is a statistically
normal distribution for the two populations of water quality data, those
obtained during the wet period and those obtained during the dry period. The
disparate populations are a result of the different relative importance of
surface runoff and ground water to the total streamflow. Surface runoff is a
much larger contributor to streamflow and contaminant loadings during the wet
period.
A second assumption concerning the water quality data was that sampling
frequency was consistent during the wet and dry periods. The x-axis on
Figure 3-4 should be labeled strictly the "percentage of samples with a
concentration less than y." However, if sampling frequency is consistent
during the period, the percentage of samples is approximately equal to the
percentage of time. For many of the constituents which have been routinely
monitored on a monthly basis, this assumption appears generally valid.
However, for constituents, such as metals in particularT which have been
monitored less consistently, this assumption may not be valid.
3-10
-------
8999
2500
2000
£
O
O
w 1500
X
IK
~
U.
M
-I
o
u
-I
<
o
Ui
IL
1000
500
200
999 90 a M a 95 SO
2 I 0.5 OJ 0.1 OjH 0 01
MAXIMUM CONCENTRATION IN ANY SAMPLE
SECONDARY CONTACT RECREATION
PRIMARY CONTACT RECREATION
OOl 0.O5 0.1 0.2 05 1 2 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 95 9899
PERCENTAGE OF TIME CONCENTRATION LESS THAN Y
FIGURE 3-4
FECAL COLIFORM CONCENTRATIONS IN THE
LOWER GREEN RIVER REACH (REACH #18)
994 99.9»»
CH2M
UHlil
-------
Those constituents whose water quality criteria have been exceeded at least
one-quarter of the time in at least one reach are listed on Table 3-4. The
percentage of time a criterion is exceeded has been rounded to the nearest
quarter. For primary contact recreation and agricultural irrigation, whose
criteria apply only to the wet period, the percentage of time refers to that
fraction of time during the wet period (April-September) that the criteria
are exceeded.
A comparison of the two interpretations of use impairments on Table 3-5
shows that the second interpretation of water quality may indicate better
water quality in the study area than does the first interpretation. For
example, the first interpretation yields impairment of fisheries in 28 reaches.
The second interpretation shows fishery impairment in only 13 reaches if
criteria are to be exceeded less than 50 percent of the time, and 19 reaches
if criteria are to be exceeded less than 25 percent of the time.
In this report, a water quality problem is defined as the impairment of an
existing or projected water use. Impairment is assumed to occur (1) if a
constituent associated with acute effects has exceeded the water quality
criterion in any sample, or (2) if a constituent associated with chronic
effects exceeds the water quality criterion more than one-half of the time.
Information is available in this report to select one-quarter, one-half,
three-quarters, or 100 percent as the evaluation criterion when formulating
final plans for constituents associated with chronic effects. One-half has
been chosen because the impaired uses given this criterion correspond most
closely to the apparent water quality problems in the study area.
SURFACE WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS
Use impairments are shown by reach on Figures 3-5 through 3-13 for the nine
water uses in the study area. These figures are located at the end of this
chapter. The constituents that exceed the criteria in each case are given on
Table 3-6. Many of the uses designated as impaired in this section of the
report are presently being exercised without any apparent curtailment of use.
Several possible reasons for this discrepancy are listed below:
¦ Certain water quality criteria may be overprotective of the uses.
The metal criteria for fisheries may be among these, because the
strictest literature criteria were selected in most cases. However,
these criteria were based on toxicities to rainbow trout, which is
one of the two most common game fish in the study area.
¦ Water quality data taken at one station may not adequately character-
ize water quality along the entire length of the reach. All 18
reaches which have two or more water quality stations show some
change in water quality along the length of the reach. The biggest
changes in water quality within a reach generally occur in the
upper reaches of the Green River and Blacks Fork and in the trib-
utaries. However, many of the impaired uses and most of the use of
water occur in the lower reaches. Therefore, the changes in water
quality within a reach appear relatively unimportant to the measure-
ment of water quality impacts in the study area. The one reach
3-12
-------
Table 3-4
PERCENTAGE OF TIME CRITERIA ARE EXCEEDED
Use
Exceeded Criterion
(1)
Secondary Contact
Recreation
Primary Contact
Recreation
Stream Aestnetics
Reservoir and Lake
Aesthetics
Industrial Hater
Supply
Agricultural Irrigation Boron
Fecal Coliform
Fecal Coliform
None
Total Phosphorus
Not relevant
Wildlife and Livestock
Watering
Public Water Supply
Fishery
SAR-TDS
Chloride
Mercury
Sulfate
Total Dissolved Solids
Total Hardness
Sulfate
Ammonia, Un-ionized
Beryllium
Reach
roj
11
Insufficient number of samples
0 E B 5
S S3
Criteria not yet developed
E
Copper
Lead
B
82
ft |W|
m
Mercury
EJ
PH
PI
p*
w
Total Suspended Solids
pi
ft
Zinc
Y
8
LEGEND
| | Reach designations defined on Table 2-2
Criterion exceeded one-quarter of the time
Criterion exceeded one-half of tne time
Criterion exceeded tnree-quarters of tne time
Criterion exceeded all the time
g
151
OS E
20
(1) Criteria which have not been exceeded at least one-quarter of the time are not included.
-------
Table 3-5
COMPARISON OF TWO INTERPRETATIONS OF USE IMPAIRMENT
Use
Secondary Contact
Recreation
Primary Contact
Recreation
Stream Aesthetics
Reservoir and Lake
Aesthetics
Agricultural Irrigation
Wildlife and Livestock
Watering
Public Water Supply
Fishery
Interpretation #1
Maximum Concentration
Exceeds Criterion
Number of Reaches Showing Use Impairment
Interpretation #2
5
0
7
13
9
6
28
Concentration Exceeds Criterion
1/4 of
Time
1
0
NSI
13
4
1
19
(1)
1/2 of
Time
1
0
NSI
7
1
0
13
(1)
3/4 of
Time
1
0
NSI
5
0
0
5
(1)
All of
Time
0
0
NSI
2
0
0
2
(1)
(1) NSI = not sufficient information.
-------
able 3-6
}mmary OF USE IMPAIRMENTS FOR SURFACE WATER
each
1
2
4
5
6
7
(1)
Secondary
Contact
Recreation
Primary
Contact
Recreation
Stream
Aesthetic*
Reservoir
and Lake
Aesthetic*
Industrial Livestock Public
Water Agricultural and Wildlife Water
Supply Irrigation Watering Supply
Fishery
Cd,DO,NH3,Zn
10
11
1J
13
11
15
16
17
18
.. 19
20
21
22
23
-24_
25
26
27
_28_
29
30
31
-JZ-
33
34
35
36
—JI_
38
39
to
<41
—S2__
13
44
45
—3§_
17
48
49
51
52
Zn
Zn
Zn
FC
Tir
FC
FC
FC
TDS
TDS
TDS
TDS
SO„
Cd
Cu.NH,
Cd.Cu.NH.Pb.Zn.TSS
DO,NH,,TSS
JiQ_ 3
SO,,
DO.Zn
SAR-TDS
SAR-TDS
TSS
TSS
Be.NHj,pH,TSS
FC
FC
FC
_EC_
SAR-TDS SO„
NHj.TSS
FC
CI. SO,, TDS
SAR-TDS
SAR-TDS
SAR-TDS
SO,,
TSS
TDS
FC
SAR-TDS
SAR-TDS
NH-.TSS
NHj.TSS
BO.NH,
do.nh;
"TET
FC
so.
SAR-TDS
TSS
Nh,,T5S
(i)
Reach designations on Table 2-2.
Symbols
^mmonia
;erviMum
^admium
^"loride
fC?-Pral
Uad
*222?' Dis,olv«d
Rari?n ' To**1
c*S Activity
Sol id,m ^dsorPtion Ratio
Solid.' r0UI Di"°'ved
Sulfate 181 SusP«nded
Zinc
NH,
Be3
Cd
CI
FC
Cu
Pb
DO
P
R
SAR
TDS
TSS
SO,
Zn
3-15
-------
where the change in quality has been identified as being important
to adequately measure use impairment is the Upper Big Sandy. This
exception is discussed later in the "Agricultural Irrigation"
section and noted on Figure 3-10.
¦ Some of the use impairment is related to chronic effects, whose
impact may be only partially realized at the present time or may be
subtle, such as lower fish propagation rather than fish kills.
Use impairments and documented water quality problems are identified below
for all nine uses in the study area. As shown on Figure 3-2, many reaches do
not have enough water quality data to permit identification of all possible
use impairments. In a few cases, use impairment in these reaches has been
assumed because of supportive water quality data from adjacent reaches.
These cases are shown on Figures 3-5 through 3-13, and the reaches involved
are designated "assumed use impairment.11
Secondary Contact Recreation
Impairment of secondary contact recreation in the study area is a result of
high fecal coliform concentrations. Impairment is indicated in seven reaches
within the study area. Five of these are in the Bitter Creek drainage.
As noted earlier in this chapter, violations of the fecal coliform standard
have been documented by DEQ in the 305(B) report for 1976. These violations
have occurred in the three reaches of Killpecker Creek, Lower Bitter Creek,
and Lower Hams Fork.
Primary Contact Recreation
Impairment of primary contact recreation is indicated in five reaches, all
along the mainstem of the Green River. DEQ has documented the fecal coliform
violation in the Lower Green River reach.
Stream Aesthetics
No impairment of stream aesthetics has been documented from the limited water
quality information. The aesthetic value of the Green River between the
Sublette-Sweetwater county line and Big Island is considered to be high,
according to a report by the Wyoming Water Resources Research Institute.
However, concern has been expressed in public meetings held by SWWQPA about
excessive algal growth in the lower reaches of Blacks Fork and about trash
and garbage along the banks of Bitter Creek as it flows through Rock Springs.
Reservoir and Lake Aesthetics
Impairment of reservoir and lake aesthetics is indicated in all water bodies
except Bear Lake, which is located just west of the Wyoming-Idaho line. As
shown on Figure 3-14, repeated from Figure 2-5, phosphorus concentrations at
5 to 6 feet below the surface exceed the phosphorus criterion of 0.030 mg/l
at one or more stations in all reservoirs and lakes except Bear Lake. The
graph shows the close relationship between phosphorus and aesthetics, as
measured by water transparency, for all reservoirs and lakes in the region
except Viva Naughton.
3-16
-------
GZOOT
QI90*
•W2
•W1.W2
MATER QUALITY
CRITERION
FIGURE 3-M
PHOSPHORUS AND WATER TRANSPARENCY
B
B5
F
P
S
V
NOTEf
NOTEj
LEGE NO
BEAR LAKE
DIG SANDY RESERVOIR
FLARING GORGE RESERVOIR
PALISADES RESERVOIR
SEMINOE RESERVOIR
VtVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR
WOODRUFF NARROWS RESERVOIR
STATIONS ARE NUMBERED 1 THROUGH N STARTING AT
THE UPSTREAM STATION* THE SAME STATION MAY BE
LISTED MORE THAN ONCE BECAUSE IT WAS SAMPLED
At DIFFERENT TIMES OURING THE YEAR.
REGION BETWEEN LINES INCLUDES 9S% OF DATA POINTS,
EXCLUDING THOSE FOR VIVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR.
•PS
•P2
pMta
P3+»P5
•B3
•F5
W1JFI
•B1
•F4 «F5 «P3
9
fbJ ••PS
•F9
•F7
•B2
• P4
•B1
WF9
"37
290
SeCCM OtSK TRANSPARENCY (INCHES)
-------
The graph also shows that impairment is generally more common in the upstream
reaches of a reservoir. For example, impairment is indicated in the Green
River Arm (Station FT) of Flaming Gorge, in the Blacks Fork Arm (F2), and
just below the confluence of the two arms (F3). No impairment occurs at the
other Wyoming stations (F4 and F5) or the Utah stations (F6 through F9) in
Flaming Gorge.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has conducted eutrophication surveys
on five reservoirs in the study area and on Bear Lake. The trophic status of
each water body and the factors limiting algal and weed growth during the
summer and fall are presented on Table 3-7. Conditions in the take and
reservoir span the spectrum from under-productive, fish-poor Bear Lake to
algae-clogged Woodruff Narrows. The three most important bodies for recreation—
Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge, and Palisades—are all phosphorus limited or co-limited.
All reservoirs designated eutrophic by EPA have phosphorus concentrations at
5 to 6 feet below the surface which exceed the phosphorus criterion.
Eutrophication has impacts in the study area beyond aesthetics. Those impacts
which have been documented include a dramatic shift from game to nongame
species in Flaming Gorge Reservoir (as noted in the following chapter) and
impaired boating and fishing due to weeds snagging propellers and fish hooks.
Industrial Water Supply
Industrial use impairment is shown on Figure 3-9 for six reaches. In these
reaches, industrial consumption of water is high and potential industrial
benefits from salinity control are great. Four of the reaches are along the
mainstem of the Green River below the Big Sandy River, and the other two are
on the Hams Fork and Blacks Fork.
Agricultural Irrigation
Impairment of agricultural use of water for irrigation is indicated in nine
reaches within the study area. Five of these reaches are located in the
Blacks Fork drainage. Although impairment is shown in the Upper Big Sandy
reach, crop production has not appeared to be adversely affected in the
reach. An impairment is indicated on the basis of the data because the
sampling station is located below almost all of the irrigated acreage in the
reach and is measuring high TDS values, probably as a result of the irrigation
activities. The water used for irrigation in this reach, however, is diverted
at the extreme upper end of the reach where there are no data to evaluate its
suitability for agricultural irrigation.
High total dissolved solids concentrations are the reason for agricultural
impairment in all cases. Sodium adsorption ratios are welt below critical
levels in all reaches except Upper Bitter Creek and Lower Smiths Fork.
Although the data used in this study indicate an agricultural use impairment,
curtailment of irrigation activities due to use of surface water has not been
observed. It may be that flood irrigation in spring, which is a common
practice in all the reaches designated as impaired by this report, leaches
out salts which have accumulated over the previous irrigation season.
3-18
-------
Table 3-7
EUTROPHICATION OF LAKFS AND RESERVOIRS IN STUDY AREA
Lake or Reservoir
Bear Lake
Big Sandy
Flaming Gorge
Fontenelle
Palisades
Viva Naughton
Woodruff Narrows
Trophic Status ^
Oligotrophic
Eutrophic
Eutrophic in Wyoming,
Mesotrophic in Utah
Mesotrophic
Futrophic
Eutrophic
Limiting Factor
Phosphorus,
Nitrogen
Turbidity
Phosphorus
Phosphorus,
Nitrogen
Nitrogen
Nitrogen
(1)
(1) From draft reports, EPA National Eutrophication Survey.
3-19
-------
Wildlife and Livestock Watering
Impairment of wildlife and livestock watering is indicated in two reaches,
both in the Bitter Creek drainage. Impairment is a result of high chloride,
sulfate, and total dissolved solids concentrations.
Public Water Supply
Impairment of public water supplies is indicated in five reaches. High
sulfate concentrations are the reason for impairment in the Lower Hams Fork
and Green River reaches. Kemmerer, Diamondville, and Frontier withdraw their
water from the Lower Hams Fork reach, while the Rock Springs-Green River area
obtains its water from the Green River reach. Sulfate is also the cause of
use impairment in Flaming Gorge and the Lyman reach, while radioactivity is
the cause in the Lower Smiths Fork reach.
DEQ documented several violations of the 1962 U.S. Public Health Service
drinking water standards in 1975 and 1976. Lead concentrations in the Green
River near LaBarge and mercury concentrations in the Green River below Fontenelle
Dam exceeded the respective standards. Violations in 1975 and 1976 of the
iron and manganese standards, which are not included in the latest National
Interim Primary Drinking Water Regulations, were widespread throughout the
study area. All violations were attributed to natural causes.
DEQ also noted that radioactivity in the Smiths Fork near Lyman exceeded the
recommended levels stated in the National Interim Primary Drinking Water
Regulations. The violation was attributed to natural erosion of Wyoming's
moderately abundant radioactive soils.
Laxative effects from high sulfate water have been experienced by visitors to
the Rock Springs-Green River area during 1977. No other adverse health
effects have been attributed to drinking water quality in the study area.
Figure 3-12 shows impairment of public water supplies due to only health and
aesthetics impacts. Additional impairment occurs because of the economic
impacts of hardness in the water. This impairment is discussed in Chapter 4.
Fisheries
Impairment is indicated on 21 reaches within the study area. Several of
these reaches are considered "blue-ribbon" fisheries by the Wyoming Game and
Fish Department. Reasons for this disparity have been discussed earlier in
the report. Impairment is caused by high metals concentrations, high free
ammonia concentrations, high total suspended solids concentrations, and low
dissolved oxygen levels.
A fish kill occurred in 1975 in the headwaters of the Big Sandy River. The
location of the kill is outside of the study area. No reasons were found by
DEQ for the kill.
Changes in fish population in Flaming Gorge Reservoir from game to nongame
fish are described in the next chapter. These changes may be attributed to
secondary effects of eutrophication.
3-20
-------
The literature mentions low temperatures and turbidity in the mainstem of the
Green River as potential causes of game fish population reductions. However,
no changes in game fish populations have been correlated with either tempera-
ture or turbidity.
SUMMARY OF SURFACE WATER QUALITY
Most of the use impairments indicated on Figures 3-5 through 3-13 are on
reaches in the Green River Basin, which includes the Blacks Fork, Green
River, and their tributaries. In the Snake River Basin, the only use impair-
ments are fishery in the Snake River reach because of high zinc and cadmium
concentrations and reservoir and lake aesthetics in Palisades Reservoir
because of high phosphorus concentrations. Use impairments in the Bear River
Basin include fishery in four reaches because of high zinc and cadmium concen-
trations and reservoir and lake aesthetics in Woodruff Narrows because of
high phosphorus concentrations. No use impairments are indicated in the
Great Divide Basin.
The remainder of the report emphasizes the Green River Basin because all the
water quality violations documented by DEQ in the 305(B) report, most of the
surface water use impairments, and most of the water consumption occur in this
basin. However, management alternatives are investigated in the other basins
for the solution of those existing or potential surface water quality problems
noted above.
GROUND WATER PROBLEMS
The primary uses of ground water in the study area are for domestic and
livestock consumption. Domestic consumption of ground water in excess of the
sulfate criterion of 250 mg/l is common in Sweetwater County. Livestock
consumption of ground water in excess of the TDS, sulfate, and chloride
criteria occurs in the eastern part of the county. The high TDS, sulfate,
and chloride concentration are caused by leaching from the saline formations
underlying many sections of the county.
Fecal coliform and nitrate concentrations commonly exceed the criteria for
Sround water in the Bridger Valley. Because of the shallow alluvium in this
area, wells are usually less than 40 feet deep and are too close to leach
fields and barnyards. Instances of well contamination have become more
numerous recently because subdivisions have increased rural housing densities.
Step l Facility Plans for community wastewater treatment systems have been
Prepared to alleviate the contamination problem. Moreover, Mountain View and
Lyman are abandoning wells and currently building a joint community water
system to be supplied from the Meeks Cabin Reservoir.
3-21
-------
issnsHk
.SImSLm*—
USE IMPAIRMENT
(mk IN F
A
$UH mil
imn
(Hit UN
riMM
Ulil
KUIMII
4,|,IU|I,H* ASSUME0 use impairment
hiiiuiiiun
LCCENO-
IIHM
Ufc«C«9
-f
«|i |1W 1
•|vt» im« 1
1
I
s
&
1!
Illlf liuut
utu
Hi
f!
ii
airni out
m
m
t
|
«•
— m
•
I
li
1.
1 (UK i
T
FIGURE 3-5
USE IMPAIRMENT
SECONDARY CONTACT RECREATION
-------
l£L"~ fi-fSS."-
I Sua i
iwm-lwMiii
fawn IM
14 MK|
met
IUH (Nil
llttli iHU
USE IMPAIRMENT
ASSUMED USE IMPAIRMENT
ICCCNO-
»»•«
UtM
-------
CI
unu
CMIl
k«dl ran
toubi« i««g y
uiriniualntl
W|i J^S*
li
LEGEND
iuii mil
$iil55i
IIMI
•mi* cMic
LlMl
4Mia a vk
mm«i r«t<
llWtii
iy;i
UUf/BII
FIGURE 3-7
USE IMPAIRMENT
STREAM AESTHETICS
-------
rm w I / I iM,f I
i ww r*»-f ***«'
»&4 iM
IMUI IIVII
£—l
«»!• (Nil
Mi
lime hv
CMIl
aWMtvA
MilVlMmiWIM O
iMIf ll*< I
IM O
Mil (Ml*
HUM til*
IMI
SE IMPAIRMENT
ASSUMED USE IMPAIRMENT
LECCNO>
c°
N M*l
ttMM
IIMUT
MLtMflV.ntl
WU Jj'
fi
I—[=3-j{
N(M Q
••am SIk
is
FIGURE 3-8
USE IMPAIRMENT
RESERVOIR AND LAKE AESTHETICS
-------
Cm* nw ill Mif <
OIUH IM
mut im«
tel« CHIV
!l
Essm
SUSS
ill fit
mn
kikilH'Wiimiu O
tiwif ii«a i
USE IMPAIRMENT
ASSOMEO USE IMPAIRMENT
UAII (Mil
• If |i«f
llvll IM*
JkC* MUM
(Wll
|MHI
•met cm«
HH>
KliMIIN
LEGEND*
$
^ •*
»IKM
im tatui
wi«
i
H!
ii
ii
Hmi» in
-------
O MM tM
fs.v- HuutxtU
rttTrMMM
MillH-iHIIMIM
toMif IM
USE IMPAIRMENT
piiiiilllllj;
5^ SASSUMED USE IMPAIRMENT
LEGEND
1 H>S I
kill CMii
MCI M»0»
CMC!
. E
lima (Ml
•IMkl
iltVp CMIi
NCNftVt fMl
LOCATION OF GAUGING
station cannot adequately
characterize water
QUALITY FOR THIS USE
f.
M
•>
I
II
1
•MW |t»l| il
-------
MUMM U "«•
|i«H IN
i»m mil
•a«f« v
iiuaw I -t-
(MMM NMl * A
MK« f g
tunc mi
cniinMttMt
MiUM'lHUWH* O
(Mil il)4 I
I U nag j _
I nm | ¦ "<
USE IMPAIRMENT
ASSUMED USE IMPAIRMENT
LEGEND
UAH mil
IIU IWUI
IU IMtf
¦ivta
•inia call
•l«M
BITVCI Out
mica wu
t*«c*
FIGURE 3-11
USE IMPAIRMENT
WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK WATERING
-------
|«M« IUM
hit
1 bo-f
JjlUH 1M
«Mi«m pmm
UIN (Mil
men mi
Lt*M l|UN
lltVil Mf
(UII
MM IMH ilM |
(**lf IM T
I 1 cf
Uill (MIS
•iiica cmi
Ucll
MMVft fMI
USE IMPAIRMENT
ASSUMED USE IMPAIRMENT
LEGEND-
IIMM
HtNW
[itu m»uil
a-—h°{5
3-jt i«
ii
¥**» A
|t»M (M
ii
FIGURE 3-12
USE IMPAIRMENT
PUBLIC HATER SUPPLY
-------
Eiina: m mu tun
IVlll IM
§H
miiu fiu
mi (ma
llfcH iW«
'••««• 4.1*4
l*H |l*4
C£«.«r
MlUli
UUhlll
a
JES2T37S
UKM
HUM IMI
liMM
iiini mv
(Mil
Mlw inn 41
USE IMPAIRMENT
Mlilllltlllfc
niniiHiiS ASSUME0 USE *MPA*RMENT
LEGEND-
IIIMMIlall
UwMt U4
U IM(|
(UU
lUUvSjft
UUI («¦(•
i»v* umiit
tl(U
III MM*
• i*X
iiCl HOMO*
tun
linn ctiii
MfMVf rtu
FIGURE 3-13
6 1
•»*v« i!4
USE IMPAIRMENT
FISHERY
-------
-------
Chapter 4
ECONOMICS OF USE IMPAIRMENT
Poor water quality can result in a monetary cost to the users of the water.
In this 208 Plan, for instance, an actual dollar value in costs to water
users can be associated with use impairment due to salinity and eutrophication.
This chapter describes some of the costs that may be anticipated with various
salinity and eutrophication levels.
DEFINITION OF SALINITY
Salinity is usually considered to be the sum of all the dissolved salts in
water, which is analytically defined as total dissolved solids. This sum may
also be measured as a conductivity or specific conductivity. Figure 4-1
shows the close correlation between the average total dissolved solids concen-
tration and specific conductivity at the water quality stations in the study
area.
The total dissolved solids concentration or specific conductivity may not
adequately reflect the impacts of salinity on the user. For example, the
domestic user is concerned about the cost of removing hardness ions, which
are calcium and magnesium principally. He is also concerned about sulfate
concentrations from a health standpoint. Finally, he is concerned about
sodium if he is on a low-sodium diet. The other species that are major
contributors to the total salinity, such as potassium and bicarbonate (the
major constituent in alkalinity), are relatively unimportant to the domestic
user.
The important salinity species for the industrial user in the study area are
calcium, alkalinity, and sulfate. Calcium carbonate is predicted to be the
first salt to precipitate in recirculated cooling tower water in all reaches
where industrial use was identified as impaired. Reduction in instream
calcium or carbonate concentrations would increase the number of times water
could be recycled in a cooling tower, thereby reducing water consumption and
water treatment costs. The same ions are critical for low-pressure boilers.
For high-pressure boilers, such as those used at the Jim Bridger Power Plant,
sulfate appears to be the critical ion. Therefore, a control of total dissolved
solids levels in the study area may be of little benefit to industry unless
calcium, alkalinity, and sulfate are controlled in the process. The actual
benefit to industry from salinity control would be most accurately measured
by reduction in concentrations of these three ions, rather than in concentra-
tions of total dissolved solids.
To consider all the salinity species important to each user would make the
report overly cumbersome. Therefore, in most sections of this report, including
those concerning salinity in this chapter, salinity means the total salt
level, expressed as total dissolved solids or specific conductivity. The
implicit assumption is that a reduction in total dissolved solids or specific
conductivity will produce an equivalent reduction in the critical species,
whether it is calcium, alkalinity, or sulfate. This assumption is not precisely
4-1
-------
2500
J
S
o
z
(fl
a
2000
a
_j
a
-------
true, however, since waters from different parts of the study area contain
different proportions of salt species, as explained in Chapter 5.
COSTS OF SALINITY
The costs associated with using water impaired by salinity can be felt by
industrial, domestic and agricultural users. As indicated above, industries
in the area experience extra costs in using water with higher than recommended
salt concentrations for boiler and cooling tower feed water. The salt contains
chemicals that precipitate out of the water when subject to the high temper-
atures and pressures in boilers and cooling towers. These deposits collect
in the pipes and boiler tubes and seriously diminish the efficiency of the
facilities. With higher salinity levels, more treatment is required before
the water can be used, or more water must be used since it can only be reused
a limited number of times before the chemicals begin to precipitate.
Domestic water users have the extra costs of treating and softening saline
and hard water. Otherwise, health problems can result from drinking saline
water, and more detergent is needed for washing clothes and dishes.
The agricultural cost associated with salinity is primarily the detrimental
effects on crop production and soils. While agricultural costs from salinity
are not a problem within the Southwestern Wyoming 208 area, they do affect
agricultural users downstream due to the irrigating activity in the area.
Costs to Industry in the Study Area
Costs attributed to various levels of salinity in industrial intake water are
not readily available for the area's industries. Even if the cost data were
available, industries consider them proprietary information. Therefore, this
study estimated the costs to industry. These estimates are based on certain
generalized assumptions and at best are very general representations of
conditions that could reasonably exist. However, they are adequate for
planning purposes on a prefeasibility level to determine whether investigation
of salinity control is warranted or not. From the cost analysis presented
below, it appears feasible to investigate in more detail the specific benefits
of salinity control to industry.
The major industrial water users in the study area are currently trona and
power plants. In the next 20 years, the major industrial water users are
expected to continue to be those involved in mineral resources development
(trona, oil shale, coal gasification) and electrical power generation.
Two large power plants are located in the study area. The larger of the two
is Jim Bridger, located in central Sweetwater County. This plant diverts
water from the Green River above the Town of Green River. Salinity controls
above this intake point appear possible. On the other hand, no salinity
controls appear possible above the intake point for the other plant, Viva
Naughton, located on Viva Naughton Reservoir. Therefore, only Jim Bridger is
considered in this cost analysis.
4-3
-------
The assumptions needed to calculate costs for water treatment in the mineral
resources development industries are as follows:
1. Industry will use water in the amounts described in Chapter 6 based
on the development scenarios. These scenarios have been reviewed
by state and local agencies and industrial groups and are felt to
reasonably represent future water conditions.
2. Approximately 10 percent of the water diverted by industry will be
used for boiler makeup and 10 percent for cooling tower makeup.
This estimate correlates well with information available from a
couple of industries in the area and also agrees with figures given
in the Environmental Impact Statement for oil shale development.
3. For purposes of making estimates, all boilers are assumed to operate
at 600 psig and 700 degrees F.
4. Lime softening will be the only pretreatment of boiler feed water.
5. Discharge to cooling towers is assumed.
6. Blowdown rates will be 12 percent when salinity is at 400 ymhos,
18 percent at 600 ymhos, and 25 percent at 800 ymhos. These approxi
mate values are experienced by at least one industry in the area.
7. Fnergy costs are assumed to be $1.50 per 1,000,000 Btu's regardless
of the energy source. No specific energy source is assumed?
8. Boilers will operate essentially full time.
9. The depletions shown in the scenarios are assumed to be for salinity
levels of about 600 ymho/cm2, which roughly approximate the salinity
levels experienced in the Big Island and Green River reaches of the
Green River during 1976.
10. Hardness is assumed to increase about in proportion to salinity
levels. This assumption is not valid for salinity contributed from
the Big Sandy Basin. However, it is valid for salinity contributed
from outside Sweetwater County in the Green River Basin. For
estimating purposes, hardness is assumed to be 50, 80, and 110 mg/l
as CaC03 when salinity is 400, 600, and 800 ymhos, respectively.
Based on those assumptions, costs for heating additional boiler makeup water
were calculated for three different levels of development in the area—the
present conditions and the conditions represented by the two scenarios described
in Chapter 6. Table 4-1 shows the costs of treating for salinity that might
be experienced at the Jim Bridger plant at different salinity levels. Costs
were calculated to reflect conditions if salinity were to remain at 1976
levels at the intake point (600 ymhos), if salinity were to drop to summer
1977 levels found in the Slate Creek reach of the Green River above the Biq
Sandy River (400 ymhos), and if salinity were to remain at levels experienced
during the summer of 1977 in the Big Island reach below Big Sandy River
(800 y mhos).
4-4
-------
Table 4-1
COSTS FOR TREATING BOILER AMD COOLING TOV'FR
MAKEUP WATER AT JIM BRIDGER POWER PLANT
(1977 Dollars)
45
I
Ln
Scenario
Present Day
Year 2000,
Coal Export
Year 2000,
Energy Export
Water
Diverted
(ac-ft/yr)
30,000
30,000
60,000
400 ymhos
Salinity
$0,153
0.153
0.306
Annual Treatment Cost
($ x 10b)
(1)
600 ymhos
Salinity
$0,230
0.230
0.460
800 ymhos
Salinity
$0,307
0.307
0.614
(1) These costs do not include energy costs for heating boiler makeup water, as explained in the text.
-------
The estimates on the table are based on known costs for water at 600 y mhos
and at 800 y mhos and for an annual depletion of 30,000 acre-feet. The values
for the other salinity and depletion levels are computed proportionate to the
known values. The costs shown on this table include those for demineralization
of the boiler makeup and for softening of cooling tower makeup water. The
costs do not include those for energy needed to heat the boiler water; those
energy costs are not a function of water quality because the quality (and
therefore quantity) of the demineratized water heated for the boilers is
independent of the raw water quality.
The total annual costs to the mineral resources development industries have
also been estimated for the above three salinity levels. These costs are
presented on Table 4-2. A more detailed presentation of costs to these
industries is included as Appendix B. The costs on Table 4-2 include not
only those for treating boiler and cooling tower makeup water, but also those
for energy needed to heat boiler makeup water.
The costs to the power plant and the mineral resources development industries
were combined to consider the difference in cost to industry at salinity
levels higher and lower than the 1976 level of 600 ymhos. The results, given
on Table 4-3, show the potential cost increase if salinity were to stay at
the 1977 summer levels of the Big Island reach (800 ymhos) and the potential
costs savings if salinity in the downstream reaches of the Green River was
reduced to the 1977 level of the Slate Creek reach above Big Sandy River (400
ymhos). The information contained on Table 4-3 is shown graphically on
Figure 4-2. This figure dramatically shows the changes in costs with changes
in salinity. For reference, Figure 4-2 also shows the approximate range of
salinity levels experienced in the Green River above and below the Big Sandy
during 1976.
From these estimates, it can be concluded that considerable operating costs
savings could be achieved if 1976 levels of salinity were maintained and that
further cost savings could accrue to industries in the area if salinity could
be reduced below 1976 levels. Again it must be remembered that the estimates
described in this chapter are only very rough estimates that do not apply to
any specific company but only generally apply to industry as a whole.
Costs to Domestic Users in the Study Area
Estimates were made in this study of the costs of water softening to domestic
water users in the study area. The cost equations used in this report are
those developed by EPA for estimating salinity control feasibility for the
Colorado River Basin. The cost factors have been adjusted to reflect inflation
since the time of the EPA study. For this 208 study, only estimates for
surface water users are included even though it is recognized that a consider-
able number of ground water users may also have softeners or be subjected to
increased soap costs due to high hardness. The data on ground water users
were not readily available, however.
Costs related to salinity have been estimated for three types of public water
supply users in the area—those on central softening, those on individual
softeners, and those without softeners. The number of surface water users in
4-6
-------
Table U-2
SAL/NITY COSTS TO THE MINERAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRIES
(1977 Dollars)
Annual Treatment Cost^
($ x 10b)
400 y mhos 600 y mhos 800 y mhos
Scenario
Salinity
Salinity
Salinity
Present Day
$1.49
$ 2.74
$ 4.59
Year 2000, Coal Fxport
5.19
9.12
15.3
Year 2000, Energy Export
8.91
16.4
27.5
-t
i
(1) These costs include energy costs for heating boiler makeup water.
-------
Table 4-3
POTENTIAL COST DIFFERENCES TO INDUSTRY AT SALINITY LEVELS
HIGHER AND LOWER THAN 1976 LEVEL OF 600 y mhos
(1977 Dollars)
Scenario
Present Day
Year 2000, Coal Export
Year 2000, Energy Export
Potential Annual
Cost Increase At
800 p mhos
($ x 106)
$ 1.93
6.25
11.30
Potential Annual
Cost Savings At
400 y mhos
($ x 106)
$ 1.33
4.01
7.58
(1) Salinity level in Big Island reach in summer 1977 (below Big Sandy River).
(2) Salinity level in Slate Creek reach in summer 1977 (above Big Sandy River)
4-8
-------
800
3 PRESENT DAY
S COAL EXPORT IN 2000
A ENERGY EXPORT IN 2000
200
GREEN RIVER
SALINITY LEVELS 1976
600
(yMHO/CM )
SALINITY
(NOTE t COSTS ARE FOR TREATING BOILER AND COOLING TOWER MAKEUP
WATER FOR POWER PLANTS AND COSTS FOR HEATING BOILER MAKEUP
WATER AND TREATING BOILER AND COOLING MAKEUP WATER FOR OTHER
INDUSTRIES.)
FIGURE 4-2
SALINITY COSTS TO GREEN RIVER
BASIN INDUSTRY-1977 DOLLARS
S®
-------
each of these three categories is shown on Table 4-4 according to various
communities in the study area.
The costs to these domestic users for various levels of hardness and for
various levels of development in the study area are presented on Table 4-5.
Costs are due to two factors, either increased consumption of softener or
regenerant or increased soap consumption. Table 4-5 shows that the total
costs in the area are likely to rise simply because of increased population
in the future. However, costs are shown to be greater if salinity levels
increase 50 percent higher than the 1976 levels. On the other hand, costs
would be less at salinity levels 50 percent less than the 1976 levels.
Benefits and Costs in the Study Area
From the foregoing analyses, it seems that at least $2 million per year would
be saved by water users in the study area if salinity returned to 1976 levels
and that further savings would accrue for lower levels yet. There is obviously
considerable economic benefit to be gained by lower salinity levels.
However, these benefits (or cost savings) must be compared with the costs to
reduce the salinity and maintain lower levels. The costs for various salinity
controls are presented in Chapter 8. Also, a cost-benefit analysis is given
in that chapter. However, an observation that can be made now is that if
salinity is controlled upstream for downstream users, there is a high likeli-
hood that those who pay for the controls will not be those who benefit from
the improved salinity levels. This factor will be important in evaluating
options to recommend a plan.
Costs of Salinity To Users Outside Study Area
The Colorado River Salinity Control Forum has estimated the annual municipal,
industrial, and agricultural benefits to be gained by reducing salinity at
Imperial Dam, California, on the Lower Colorado River. These benefits pertain
only to users of water from the Lower Colorado River Basin. The benefits in
dollars per part per million (ppm) reduction in salinity at Imperial Dam are
estimated at $430,000. This benefit is equivalent to $31 per ton of salt
reduction in the Colorado River system. Therefore, it is assumed that $31 of
benefits will be gained outside the study area for each ton of salt reduction
within the study area.
COSTS OF EUTROPHICATION TO RECREATION
Eutrophication cannot only lessen the aesthetic value of a water body, but
can also result in an economic loss to the tourist industry as recreational
uses are impaired. Excessive algal and weed growth can decrease recreational
use of a reservoir in a number of ways. Sightseers and swimmers are discouraged
by the unsightliness of the algal mats and their rank odors. Boaters are
frustrated by the clogging of propellers. Fishermen leave because rough
fish, such as carp, have taken over the waters. Those services which depend
on recreationalists therefore suffer severe economic setbacks when the recrea-
tional opportunities in the reservoir are lost.
4-10
-------
Table 4-4
NUMBER OF SURFACE WATER USERS IN STUDY AREA WITH AND WITHOUT SOFTENING
Community
Evanston
Green River
Jamestown/Rio Vista
Rock Springs
Granger, Little
America
Diamondville,
Frontier, and
Kemmerer
Users with Individual Softening
Present Year 2000 Year 2000
Day (1) Coal Export(2) Energy Export (2)
1,000
10,000
750
18,000
40
720
2,850
12,000
800
22,000
264
2,100
1,930
25,000
1,900
46,000
(3)
11,630
Present
Day 0)
4,000
3,000
250
6,000
160
2,880
Users with No Softening
Year 2000
Coal Export(2)
11,370
4,000
300
7,000
1,056
8,798
Year 2000
Energy Export (2)
7,710
8,000
600
15,000
W
6,510
(1) Estimates from Culligan Water Conditioning Company, Denver, Colorado.
(2) Estimates based on projected populations.
(3) No data available.
-------
Table 4-5
ESTIMATED ANNUAL SOFTENING COSTS TO DOMESTIC USERS
(1977 Dollars)
Present Day
Salinity
Community
Evanston
Green River
Jamestown/Rio Vista
Rock Springs
Granger, Little
America
Dlamondville,
Frontier, and
Kemmerer
1976
Salinity
Levels
$56,300
93,840
2,281
42,800
Salinity
50% Greater 50% Less
Than In
1976
$ 58,440
156,998,
22,377
45,400
Than In
1976
$54,300
30,518
2,185
40,200
(1) No data available.
Year 2000. Coal Export
Salinity Salinity
1976 50% Greater 50% Less
Salinity Than In Than In
Levels 1976 1976
$160,000
$166,200 $154,300
1976
Salinity
Levels
$108,500
Year 2000, Energy Export
Salinity Salinity
50% Greater 50% Less
Than In Than In
1976
$112,650
1976
$104,700
163,370 244,950 81,600
15,060
15,700
14.422
245,050
„ ci>
367,400
__ (D
122,400
(D
130,250
137,950 122,560
113,120
119,350
106,800
-------
The largest recreational use of any reservoir in the study area in terms of
numbers of visitors occurs at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Recreationalists have
complained about algal blooms in the Green River and Blacks Fork arms of the
reservoir, which have become increasingly severe over the last decade.
However, despite the complaints, these water quality problems have not appeared
to deter recreational use of the reservoir. As shown on Figure 4-3, recrea-
tional use has actually increased, while the water quality has deteriorated
in the reservoir. The growth rate of recreational use of the reservoir
exceeded the growth rate of Salt Lake City, the nearest metropolitan center,
over the 1970-1976 period. (More visitors come to Flaming Gorge from Salt
Lake City than any other single area.) The seeming disparity between decreased
quality and increased use is explained by the fact that the decreased quality
is not yet felt throughout the reservoir. Quality degradation has started in
the Green River and Blacks Fork arms at the upper end of the reservoir and is
slowly progressing down the reservoir. The lower end still has good quality.
Recreational use of the reservoir is dependent essentially on how good the
fishing is. In an analysis of the Economic Impact on Southwestern Wyoming of
Recreationists Visiting Flaming Gorge Reservoir, it was found that 99 percent
of the visitors to the reservoir came to fish. Although water quality has
deteriorated aesthetically from the extensive algal blooms, record-size game
fish have been caught in the reservoir in the last 2 years. The mean weight
per trout harvested by the Utah State Division of Fish and Game and by the
Wyoming Game and Fish Department doubled from 1964 to 1969 (Green River and
Flaming Gorge Post-Impoundment Investigations). This increase in fish size
is typical in a reservoir in the incipient stages of eutrophication because
of the abundance of food.
Also typical of a reservoir in the incipient stages of eutrophication is a
decrease in the number of game fish and an increase in the number of nongame
fish. Figure 4-4 shows that although the size of the trout increased in the
sixties, the trout population decreased from 84 percent of the total fish
population in 1964 to 9 percent of the population in 1969. The harvest rate
of trout has also decreased from 1.23 fish per gill-net hour in 1964 to
0.35 fish per gill-net hour in 1975. During the same period the Utah chub
population increased from 1 percent of the total fish population to 76 percent.
If the trend continues, few game fish will be able to survive in the reservoir,
and fishermen will likely look for other fishing spots. Fishing is an important
economic asset to Southwestern Wyoming. Benefits to the study area from
recreational use of the reservoir were estimated to exceed $1 million in
1965. (1) When inflated to the present, these benefits exceed $2 million.
Benefits to each service sector are presented on Table 4-6.
Because fishing is the recreational activity inducing these benefits, most of
them will be lost if the fishing opportunities are lost in the reservoir.
Therefore, eutrophication of Flaming Gorge Reservoir may cause up to a $2
million annual loss in revenue to the study area.
(1) Benefit data came from Economic Impact on Southwestern Wyoming of
recreationists Visiting Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
4-13
-------
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000
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500,000
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i GORGE
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f
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1970
1971
1972
1973
YEAR
1974
1975
1976
FIGURE 1-3
RECREATIONAL USE OF
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
CH2M
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-------
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REFERENCE = GREEN RIVER AND FLAMING
GORGE POST-1 IMPOUNDMENT INVESTIGATIONS
FIGURE M
CHANGE IN FISH POPULATIONS IN
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
CH2M
8HILL
-------
Table 4-6
ANNUAL BENEFITS TO SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING FROM
RECREATIONISTS VISITING FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
Direct Indirect Total
Sector Benefit Benefit Benefit
Gasoline service stations $ 527,000 $ 10,000 $ 537,000
Other retail 275,000 161,000 436,000
General wholesale 0 343,000 343,000
Households 0 335,000 335,000
Food and beverage establishments 269,000 18,000 287,000
All other sectors 0 274,000 274,000
TOTAL $1,071,000 $1,141,000 $2,212,000
4-16
/
-------
-------
Chapter 5
CONTAMINANT SOURCES
Instream water quality in the study area was examined and water quality
Problems identified in Chapter 3. The use impairments are caused by the
delivery of contaminants to the surface waters and ground waters in the study
area. This chapter identifies the contaminant sources and their transport
mechanisms. These sources have been separated into point and nonpoint, as
shown on Table 5-1 and as defined in Chapter 1. Those contaminants investigated
for each source are also listed on Table 5-1.
This chapter emphasizes phosphorus, salinity, and suspended sediment because
these contaminants are considered to cause the most widespread use impairments
in the study area. An analysis of instream phosphorus loads has been made in
the Green River Basin, Bear River Basin, and Snake River Basin, because high
phosphorus concentrations in reservoirs and lakes have been considered to be
water quality problems in all three basins. However, only in the Green River
Basin does enough information exist to make a quantitative assessment of the
phosphorus sources. In the other two basins, phosphorus sources have been
considered qualitatively.
Salinity and suspended solids (sediment) loads have been calculated only for
the Green River Basin. Benefits from salinity and erosion control in the
Bear and Snake River Basins are assumed small relative to the control costs.
Several other contaminants, such as fecal coliform and metals, have caused
use impairments in the study area. Sources of these other contaminants are
identified and management alternatives discussed in Chapter 10.
LOADS IN SURFACE WATERS
Instream surface water loads have been estimated for suspended solids, phos-
phorus, and four salinity parameters, including alkalinity, calcium, sulfate,
and total dissolved solids. These calculations have been made in order to
determine what geographical areas are the major contributors of contaminants
to surface waters and to allow a comparison between instream loads and contam-
inant loads from the various sources to the surface waters.
Suspended Solids in Surface Waters
Annual suspended solids loads have been determined by the U.S. Geological
Survey at the stations designated Green River near Green River and Blacks
Pork near Little America. Annual loads are presented later in this chapter
on Figure 5-7 and Figure 5-8.
Phosphorus Loads in Surface Waters
Phosphorus was monitored on a monthly basis in 1975 and 1976 at several
stations in the Green River, Snake River, and Bear River Basins. Annual
Phosphorus loads were estimated by calculating an instantaneous loading rate
5-1
-------
Table 5-1
CONTAMINANT SOURCES
Possible Influence in Study Area
Salinity Phosphorus Sediment Other
Contaminant Sources Which May
Be Impacting Surface Water
Point
Municipal Wastewater
Treatment Discharges x x
Industrial and Mining
Discharges x x
Stack Emissions x
Springs x
Nonpoint
Erosion (General) x x x
Local Erosion such as
Construction x x
Urban Runoff x x
Manure Runoff x
Irrigation Return
Flows xx x
Natural Ground Water
Discharges x x
Silviculture
Contaminant Sources Which May
Be Impacting Ground Water
Point
Municipal Wastewater
Ponds x x
Industrial Wastewater
Ponds x x
Nonpoint
Septic Tanks
Irrigation Return Flows
5-2
-------
(flow times concentration) for each monthly sample, assuming this loading
rate to be representative of the entire month, calculating a monthly load
from that rate, and summing the loads for 12 months.
This method for calculating annual loads gave erroneous values for the smaller
tributaries, where flow and phosphorus concentrations were found to change by
several orders of magnitude within a period of a few hours. A single monthly
sample from these small streams is unlikely to provide results characteristic
of a particular runoff event, much less an entire month. However, in the
larger tributaries and rivers, where flows and phosphorus concentrations were
more consistent over a 30-day period, the method gave apparently reasonable
values. Therefore, estimates of annual instream loads for only the main
rivers and large tributaries are discussed here.
Estimated annual phosphorus loads in the Green River Basin are shown on
Figure 5-1 for three stations in the Green River watershed and four in the
Blacks Fork watershed. Phosphorus loads in the Green River were estimated to
increase by six times in 1975 and by 13 times in 1976 as it flowed from
Fontenelle Reservoir to Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Most of the increase in
both years appeared to come from the Bitter Creek drainage. The phosphorus
load carried by the Green River to Flaming Gorge Reservoir varied considerably
from 1975 to 1976. For example, the phosphorus load in the Green River below
Bitter Creek in 1975 was only 38 percent of the load at the same station in
1976.
Annual phosphorus loads in the three major tributaries of the Blacks Fork and
at the mouth of the Blacks Fork are also shown on Figure 5-1. The phosphorus
load at the mouth of the Blacks Fork was generated by assuming that the
average unit load from the three Blacks Fork tributaries of 50 pounds per
square mile per year was representative of the entire Blacks Fork drainage.
The generated load in 1976 for this station of 80 tons per year is approximately
equal to the EPA estimate for the Blacks Fork, made in 1975 during the National
Eutrophication Survey. In 1976, Blacks Fork was estimated to deliver only
one-quarter as much phosphorus'to Flaming Gorge Reservoir as the Green River.
Phosphorus loads for 1974, 1975, and 1976 were calculated for the Snake River
and the Salt River in the Snake River Basin. Both rivers are tributary to
Palisades Reservoir. Load estimates from the Greys River, also tributary to
Palisades Reservoir, were not made because of the lack of phosphorus data.
Figure 5-2 shows the load estimates made in this study and the EPA estimates
made in 1975 during the National Eutrophication Survey. As in the Green
River, phosphorus loads in the Snake and Salt Rivers increased by approximately
three times from 1975 to 1976. Most of the phosphorus delivered to Palisades
Reservoir during all three years was attributable to the Snake River.
No estimates of phosphorus loads in the Bear River Basin were made in this
study. EPA estimates of 1975 loads to Woodruff Narrows and Bear Lake are
given on Table 5-2. The Bear River is estimated to contribute 97 percent of
the phosphorus load to Woodruff Narrows Reservoir and 48 percent of the load
to Bear Lake.
5-3
-------
T SUBLETTE - SWEETWATER
COUNTY LINE
-SMITHS FORK
NEAR LYMAN
MUDDY CREEK
NEAR HAMPTON
PHOSPHORUS LOAD
(TON/YEAR)
1976
10
IS
2
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u.
W
v
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<
_i
a)
.HAMS FORK
NEAR GRANGER
30
BLACKS FORK
"AT MOUTH
80
PHOSPHORUS LOAD
(TON/YEAR)
1975 1976
GREEN RIVER
'BELOW FONTENELLE
20
25
.BIG SANDY RIVER
.GREEN RIVER
AT BIG ISLAND
25
SO
.-BITTER CREEK
GREEN RIV^R BELOW
GREEN RIVER
120
320
0 10 20 MI
1 1 1
SCALE
FIGURE 5-1
ANNUAL INSTREAM PHOSPHORUS LOADS [^7
BHILL
-------
440
1974
1975
1976
EPA
330
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s
tn
2
~
K
V)
O
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D
a
~
x
Q.
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0
1
£L
220
110 —
SALT
SNAKE
SALT
SNAKE
SALT
SNAKE
OTHER
GREYS
SALT
SNAKE
FIGURE 5-2
PHOSPHORUS LOADS TO PALISADES RESERVOIR
m
-------
Table 5-2
EPA ESTIMATED PHOSPHORUS LOADS TO WOODRUFF NARROWS RESERVOIR
AND BEAR LAKE IN THE BEAR RIVER BASIN
Reservoir or Lake
Woodruff Narrows
Reservoir
Bear Lake
River
Bear River
Minor tributaries
and immediate
drainage
Direct
precipitation
Bear River
T ributaries
Direct
precipitation
Phosphorus Load
(tons/year)
44
(1)
0
8
5
(1) Loading estimates are from the preliminary reports for Woodruff Narrows
Reservoir and Bear Lake published in 1976 and done for the National
Eutrophication Survey.
5-6
-------
Salinity Loads in Surface Waters
Loads of alkalinity, calcium, sulfate, and total dissolved solids were cal-
culated for four stations on the Green River and two on the Blacks Fork by
the same method used for calculating phosphorus loads. Unlike phosphorus
loads, calculated loads for all four salinity parameters differed little from
1975 to 1976. Therefore, the following discussion is based on the averages
of the two years.
Load estimates for the four salinity parameters are shown on Table 5-3 for
the Green River. The watersheds tributary to each stretch listed on Table 5-3
are listed on Figure 5-3. Stretch 1 gives the approximate salt load in the
Green River as it enters the study area, and the total gives the salt load as
the Green River enters Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As shown in the table, total
dissolved solids loads increase by 143 percent from 300,000 tons per year to
730,000 tons per year as the Green River passed through the study area. The
salt load entering the study area was predominantly bicarbonates, as shown by
the high alkalinity loads relative to sulfate loads in Stretch 1. Calcium
loads were also high in Stretch 1. However, relatively little calcium and
alkalinity were added to the Green River in the study area. The increase in
salinity was primarily caused by increases in sodium and sulfate. Sulfate
loads increased almost five times in the Green River during its course through
the study area.
Two-thirds of the increase in salt loads in the Green River within the study
area came in two stretches, the stretch to which Big Sandy River is tributary
and the stretch immediately downstream. The downstream stretch contains no
major tributaries.
Salt loads in two stretches in the Blacks Fork are shown on Table 5-4.
figure 5-4 gives the watershed area tributary to the two stretches. Three-
quarters of the salt load delivered by the Blacks Fork came above the confluence
with the Smiths Fork. The lower Blacks Fork, Muddy Creek, and Hams Fork
accounted for the remaining one-quarter of the load. The salts in both
stretches were predominantly sodium sulfate.
Salt load increases within the study area from the Blacks Fork and Green
River drainages averaged approximately 760,000 tons per year in 1975 and
1976. About one-half of this increase came from the Blacks Fork. The increased
salt load in both drainaqes is primarily due to increases in sodium and
sulfate.
Henrys Fork also delivers salt from the study area to the Colorado River.
Salt loads from Henrys Fork averaged 110,000 tons per year in 1975 and 1976.
The salts were primarily calcium sulfate.
POINT SOURCES
This section of the report summarizes the point source discharge conditions
in the study area. The evaluation of point sources is based on water quality
data dated June 13, 1977, from the STORET system and on information gathered
by SWWQPA during the course of this study. The locations of all discharges
monitored under the NPDES program are shown on Figure 5-5.
5-7
-------
Table 5-3
INSTREAM SALINITY LOADS IN THE GREEN RIVER IN WYOMING
(2)
Stretch of
(1)
Load Generated Within Stretch
(1,000 tons/year)
Total Dissolved
River
Solids
Calcium
Alkalinity1
,<«)
300 ( 41%)
25 ( 50%)
250 ( 71%)
2
60 ( 8%)
5 ( 10%)
10 ( 4%)
3
160 ( 22%)
5 ( 10%)
20 ( 6%)
4
130 ( 18%)
5 ( 10%)
50 ( 13%)
5
80 ( 11%)
10 ( 20%)
20 ( 6%)
TOTAL
730 (100%)
50 (100%)
350 (100%)
(3)
Sulfate
60
20
80
80
( 21%)
( 7%)
( 29%)
( 29%)
40 t m%)
280 (100%)
(1) Green River stretches are—
1. Headwaters to approximately study area boundary.
2. Below LaBarge Creek to below Fontenelle Reservoir.
3. Below Fontenelle Reservoir to Big Island; the Big Sandy is tributary to this stretch.
4. Big Island to above Bitter Creek, this stretch contains no major tributaries.
5. Above Bitter Creek to below Bitter Creek.
(2) Based on water quality data from 1975 and 1976.
(3) Alkalinity loads are expressed as tons per year of bicarbonate, which is the major contributor
to alkalinity in the study area.
(4) Located outside the study area.
-------
FIGURE 5-3
APPROXIMATE EXTENT
OF WATERSHEDS FOR GREEN
RIVER STRETCHES LISTED ON
TABLE 5-3
1*3
scale in miles
t
v
mm
S0
—a**
•aajaul*
«t5T
CH2K
S5HILI
-------
Table 5-4
INSTREAM SALINITY LOADS IN THE BLACKS FORK WATERSHED
Blacks Fork Stretch
Headwaters to station
near Lyman
Station near Lyman to
station near Little
America
TOTAL
Total Dissolved
Solids
250
Load Generated Within Stretch
(1,000 tons/year)
80
330
Calcium
10
_5
15
Alkalinity
60
10
70
(1)
Sulfate
120
90
210
(1) Alkalinity is expressed as tons per year of bicarbonate, which is the major contributor
to alkalinity in the study area.
-------
nVUS
0
FIGURE 5-4
APPROXIMATE EXTENT
OF WATERSHEDS FOR BLACKS
FORK STRETCHES LISTED ON
TABLE 5-4
N
10 0 10 20 iO 40
scale in miles
Wr '
o> |
I
¦WMWTB _
CH2N
"HIL
-------
t WASTEWATER TREATMEHT
FACILITY
m
\
9 OTHER
ST*/
¦•tSSffSLi ^
w \
\mcmn
Visa
FIGURE 5-5
NPDES DISCHARGERS
IN STUDY AREA
nwiiiiiL,
-------
Mining and Industrial Discharges
Mining and industries have generally gone to a total containment (nondischarg-
ing) system for their wastewater. The few dischargers are presently in
compliance with the permit requirements. In the past, three discharge problems
have been associated with mining and industry. These problems aredescribed
below.
The Star Valley Cheese Company at Thayne is the only industry in the study
area which discharges to a municipal wastewater treatment facility. The
municipal treatment process is spray irrigation of digested wastes. The type
and volume of wastes discharged to the treatment plant is incompatible with
the design of the facility. The influent to the plant has extremely high
concentrations of BOD_ and nutrients because of the impact of the industrial
discharge on the total load. These strong wastes have created odor problems
at the plant and in the Town of Thayne. Digested wastes are being applied to
gravelly soils with a high water table. Soil capacity for removal of contam-
inants may be exceeded; however, no water quality problems related to discharges
from the plant have been noted in nearby Flat Creek and Salt River.
A second discharge problem occurred in 1973 at the Union Pacific Railroad
yard in Green River. Phosphorus concentrations of up to 330 ppm in runoff
from the yard were recorded by EPA that year. These high concentrations were
due in part to the washing of railroad cars containing phosphorus. A separate
full retention facility for the car washings has been constructed, and the
treated discharges from the yard are presently meeting all discharge requirements.
The third discharge problem occurs at South & Jones Lumber Company in Evanston,
which was identified in the 305 (B) report to be in noncompliance with best
practical treatment standards in 1976. Discharge from the yard goes to the
Bear River. The permit to the lumber yard has been recently issued and no
discharge quality data are available. The Bear River reach below Evanston
does not show any use impairments caused by contaminants which might be
discharged from the lumber yard.
Municipal and Other Dischargers
The quality of municipal discharges has improved greatly since the start of
this study because of the 201 Facility Plans associated with it. Table 5-5
jhdicates those 201 Plans initiated under the 208 study. The table also
identifies those municipal dischargers who have not met the deadline on
July 1, 1977, for best practical treatment (BPT) . Brief remarks about each
municipal discharge on Table 5-5 plus several other municipal discharges in
the study area are made below. Violations of discharge standards have been
defined as frequent if concentrations exceed the NPDES standards more than 50
percent of the time, occasional if standards are exceeded more than one time
but less than 50 percent of the time, and infrequent if only one violation
has been recorded.
5-13
-------
Table 5-5
STATUS OF MUNICIPAL COMPLIANCF WITH BFST PRACTICAL TPEATMENT
MFTHODS OF SECONDARY TREATMENT STANDARDS
(As of August 1, 1977)
Have Met
Municipality
NPDFS #
Step #
BPT Deadline
Cokeville
0021032
Yes
Evanston
0020095
(1)
Yes
Fort Bridger
0022071
Yes
Kemmerer-
Diarrondvi lie
0020320
0020303
1
No
Granger
0022373
(1)
No
Green River
0020443
3
No
LaBarge
0022080
3
7
Lyman
0020117
(1)
No
Mountain View
0022896
(3)
No
Rock Springs
0022357
3
No
South Superior
(1)
No
Thayne
0025917
3
No
Wamsutter
No
Target Completion
Date of Rp-p
Fal I 1978
1978
?
Fall 1978
Fall 1977
1978 or 1979
1978
Discharqe
(1)
Yes
( ) - Numbers in parentheses refer to Facility Plans completed under
208 program.
5-14
-------
Uinta County
Evanston--ln compliance since summer 1976. Operations and maintenance
changes were made at that time. The Step 1 Facility Plan is to be
completed as part of this study.
Lyman--Frequent violations of the fecal coliform standard, and occasional
violations of the suspended solids standard. The Step 1 Facility Pian
will be completed as part of this study. The town is presently applying
for funds for upgrading the sewage treatment facility to meet the needs
for a population of 4,000.
Mountain View—Frequent violations. The town is virtually without a
treatment system. The Step 1 Facility Plan is complete, and the town
presently is constructing a three-cell lagoon to meet the discharge
standards; the scheduled completion date is fall of 1977.
Fort Bridaer—Occasional violations of the fecal coliform standard. The
system is a single-cell lagoon with some capacity for chlorinating the
discharge. The capacity is not sufficient to meet projected future
growth.
Sweetwater County
Rock Springs—Frequent violations of the fecal coliform standard, and
occasional violations of the BOD and total suspended solids standards.
A contract for constructing a new mechanical plant has been awarded with
completion scheduled late in 1978.
Green River—A new sewage treatment facility has been constructed to
meet the secondary treatment standards. The exfiltration ponds are not
working properly and discharge from the ponds is not meeting secondary
standards. Two alternatives are being studied: redesign of the ponds
or abandonment of the ponds in favor of a point source discharge.
LaBarge--The lagoon system has just started to discharge. No water
quality data have been calculated on the discharges. However, given the
detention time in the lagoons, the discharges are likely to meet secondary
treatment quality standards.
Granger—Frequent violations of total suspended solids, BOD,., and fecal
coliform standards, A Step 1 Facility Plan is completed, and ihe town
has made application for funding for design and construction.
Wamsutter—No discharge. A Step 1 Facility Plan was completed because
of a concern about capacity meeting the projected growth in the area.
South Superior—Frequent violations of all standards. A Step 1 Facility
Plan is completed. The town has applied for grant money to construct a
new treatment facility.
5-15
-------
Jamestown-Rio Vista—Individual waste treatment facilities in use in
this area with no surface discharges monitored. This water and sewer
district has a Step 1 Facility Plan prepared under this study, and the
district is now studying the alternatives for a central treatment facility.
Husky Truck Stop (west of Rock Springs)—Frequent violations of fecal
coliform, total suspended solids, and POD,. standards. They are on an
NPDES compliance schedule.
Clearview Acres (west of Rock Springs)—Violations of the NPDES permit
in May 1976 and March 1977. The Department of Environmental Quality
filed court action in March 1977.
Wyoming Highway Department (Bitter Creek west areas) —In compliance with
discharge permit as of December 1975.
White Mountain Village—In compliance with discharge permit.
Lincoln County
Cokeville—In compliance since March 1976. An Engineering Assessment
report was prepared for the town under this study.
Kemmerer-Diamondville—Frequent violations of fecal coliform, ESODj., and
total suspended solids standards. The design of the new wastewater
treatment faciIity is underway. They are awaiting funds for construction.
Thayne--Discussed earlier under "Mining and Industrial Discharges.11
Phosphorus Loadings from Point Sources
Earlier in this chapter, both phosphorus and salinity loads were determined
by geographical area. This and the next section determines what specific
point sources are contributing to those loads.
Table 5-1 listed the four types of point sources impacting surface water and
the two point sources impacting ground water. Of these six point sources,
only municipal discharges contribute significant amounts of phosphorus to
surface waters. Phosphorus loadings of major municipal discharges in 1975
amounted to 25 tons in the Rock Springs-Green River area and 6 tons in the
Kemmerer-DiamondviIle-Bridger Valley area. These amounts are derived from an
effluent flow of 100 gallons per capita per day and an effluent concentration
of 10 mg/l for all treatment facilities. The estimates of flow and concentra-
tion are based on adequate flow data but on only three measurements in the
study area of total phosphorus in the effluent and four of dissolved reactive
phosphorus.
Most of the wastewater phosphorus in the study area is discharged from the
Rock Springs-Green River area to Bitter Creek and the Green River. Additional
wastewater phosphorus is discharged to Hams Fork from the Kemmerer-
Diamondville area and to Blacks Fork from the Bridger Valley area. These
areas contribute an estimated 66 tons per year to the total phosphorus loading
5-16
-------
to Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which is 17 percent of the total phosphorus load
from the study area to the reservoir in 1976.
Point source dischargers in the Bear River Basin include Fvanston and Cokeville.
There are no significant point source dischargers of phosphorus to the Salt
River. The point source load from EVanston to Woodruff Narrows Reservoir is
4 tons of phosphorus per year, which is 9 percent of the total phosphorus
load to the reservoir. The point source load from Cokeville is less than 1
ton per year. Therefore, in neither case are point sources a major phos-
phorus contributor.
Salinity Loadings from Point Sources
The point sources which have been studied for their impact on salinity loads
in the Green River Basin are industrial and mining discharges, stack emissions,
springs, and nondischarging municipal and industrial wastewater ponds. The
conclusion of this study is that point sources have little impact on the
salinity loads. The findings upon which this conclusion is based are presented
below.
All saline industrial and mining discharges in the study area have been
controlled. However, nondischarging municipal and industrial facilities may
increase salinity in surface waters by seepage from evaporation ponds.
Municipal ponds are all located near stream courses so that seepage from
these ponds travels a short distance before discharging to a stream course.
The increase in salinity caused by these ponds is probably slight.
The case of industrial nondischarging ponds was investigated more closely
because some ponds lie at a considerable distance from stream courses and in
areas of relatively saline soils. Seepage from the trona ponds may discharge
either to the Green River between Big Island and the Town of Green River or
to the Blacks Fork between Lyman and Little America. Surface and subsurface
flows from the wastewater treatment ponds at the Viva Nauqhton Power Station
near Kemmerer discharge to Little Muddy Creek.
Changes in salt loads through the stream stretches called out above are shown
on Table 5-6 for the low-flow months (September through February). It was
assumed that the effect of seepage from industrial ponds would be most notice-
able at this time of the year because of the absence of other effects such as
surface runoff and irrigation return flows. As shown on the table, the net
impact of the trona ponds may be to contribute up to 22,000 tons per year of
salt to the Green River system. A more detailed ground water analysis is
required to assess more accurately the impact of the trona ponds. The data
indicate that these ponds may actually be reducing salt loads in the Green
River system by diversion and consumption of relatively high saline water.
The water quality data also indicate that the diversion and consumption of
moderately saline water at the Viva Naughton Power Station may more than
offset salinity gains from seepage. Therefore, the effect of the power
station may be actually to reduce salt loads discharged from the study area.
5-17
-------
Table 5-6
EFFECT OF NONDISCHARGING INDUSTRIAL PONDS ON SALINITY
Upstream Station
Green River near
Big Island
(9/7*1-2/76)
Green River near
Big Island
(9/75-2/76)
Blacks Fork near
Lyman
(9/75-2/76)
Headwaters,
Little Muddy
Creek
Instream
Load
(tons/day)
1016
978
476
Downstream Station
Green River near
Green River
(9/71-2/75)
Green River near
Green River
(9/75-2/76)
Blacks Fork near
Little America
(9/75-2/76)
Little Muddy Creek
Near Glencoe
(9/75-2/76)
Instream
Load
(tons/day)
1090
1012
152
13
Gain in Stretch
(tons/day) (tons/year)
71 27.000
31 12,000
0 0
13 5000
Possible Salinity
Source
Salt Reduction
from Industrial
Diversions
(tons/year)
Maximum Possible
Gain in Salinity
Due to Industrial
Ponds
(tons/year)
Trona Ponds 5000 22,000
Trona Ponds 5000 7000
Trona Ponds 5000 -5000
Viva Naughton
Power 11,000 -6000
-------
The identified salinity load from springs in the Green River Basin is insigm
ficant to the total salinity load. Reagen Spring, located near the Interstate
80 bridge over Muddy Creek, discharges 730 tons per year ^according to EPA.
No other important discharges from springs have been identified in this
study.
Jim Bridger and Viva Naughton, the two power plants in the Green River Basin
within the study area, discharge respectively 37,000 tons and 33,000 tons per
year of sulfur dioxide. This gas dissolves in rain and comes down as sulfuric
acid, which can increase the sulfate loads carried by the streams in the
area'. The influence of the stack emissions on sulfate loads in the streams
is probably small, however. The stack emissions, when converted to sulfate,
are egual to 11 percent of the total sulfate load generated within the portion
of the Green River Basin in the study area. However, because of the commonly
strong winds in the area and the infrequency of rainfall, the sulfur dioxide
emitted by the plants will be dispersed broadly and some will come down in
areas outside of the study area.
NONPOINT LOADINGS OF SALTS AND PHOSPHORUS IN THE GREEN RtVFR BASIN
From the above discussion it appears that point sources are not the major
contributors to the salt and phosphorus loads found in the area streams.
Most of the loadings can be attributed to nonpoint sources. The nonpoint
sources identified in this study were listed on Table 5-1 and are discussed
below.
Loadings From General Erosion
Suspended sediment may be adversely affecting fish populations in the study
area. Suspended sediment may also play an important part in water quality in
the Green River Basin as a carrier of phosphorus, metals, fecal coliform, and
soluble salts. The association of the first three contaminants with sediment
has been widely documented. Recently, the Bureau of Reclamation has found a
correlation between salt and sediment loads in the Upper Colorado River Basin
and suggested that dissolution of some of the eroded material may be a major
process contributing to instream salinity.
The process which delivers sediment to the streams is erosion. Two types of
erosion have been defined in the study area, general erosion and local erosion.
General erosion is primarily influenced by natural factors, such as the type
of soil, the steepness of slopes, and the intensities and frequencies of
rainfalls. The only man-related factor considered in determining general
erosion rates is the condition of the rangeland, which is affected by the
amount of grazing activity on it.
On the other hand, local erosion in the study area is primarily concerned
with man-related factors such as construction activity, oil and gas exploration,
channelization, and recreational vehicle use. These activities can greatly
increase natural erosion rates and create local suspended sediment problems
in the streams. Sediment, phosphorus, and salt loadings from general erosion
are estimated in this section. Contaminant loadings from local erosion are
discussed in the following section.
5-19
-------
Salt and phosphorus loads from general erosion have been estimated for the
portion of the Green River Basin in the study area. The method for calculating
these loads is summarized briefly below:
1. Influence areas, those areas capable of producing and delivering
eroded material, were defined.
2. General erosion rates, taken from the Type IV study ^ for the
Green River Basin, were applied to the influence areas to determine
empirical sediment loads in each reach.
3. Soil types in the Green River Basin, defined in the Type IV study,
were characterized chemically by comparing them to soil types in
Sweetwater and Fremont Counties on which chemical data were available.
4. Loadings of phosphorus, calcium, and sodium to streams from erosion
were calculated by applying the chemical data on soils to the
empirical sediment loads in each reach.
Areas capable of delivering significant sediment loads to the Green River
were assumed to be the moderately to steeply sloped lands along perennial and
intermittent streams. These influence areas cover 22 percent of the Green
River watershed in the study area. The remaining 78 percent is assumed not
to deliver significant sediment loads because of flat terrain and larqe
distances from stream courses.
The Universal Soil Loss equation was used in the Type IV study to calculate
general erosion rates. Figure 5-6 shows the calculated general erosion rates
in the study area section of the Green River watershed. The most severe
erosion is predicted along Killpecker Creek and Red Creek, in the vicinity of
Henrys Fork, and in the vicinity of the Green River at its confluence with
the Big Sandy River. Extensive areas of moderate erosion include the Upper
Bitter Creek, Muddy Creek, and Little Muddy Creek drainages. Smaller areas
of moderate erosion occur in the Jack Morrow drainage and on the east side of
the Green River between Sandy and Bitter Creeks. (Controls for these latter
two areas have not been considered in Chapter 9 because they are relatively
small compared to other erosion areas.)
A comparison is made on Figure 5-6 of the areas of moderate to heavy erosion
and the stream reaches in which fisheries were identified as impaired in
Chapter 3 because of excessive total suspended solids concentrations. In
almost every case, the impaired reach lies in or below extensive areas within
the study area of moderate to heavy erosion. The exception is Upper Big
Sandy. Water quality in this reach may be impacted by erosion outside the
study area, however. Killpecker Creek, which lies in an area of heavy erosion,
has extremely high suspended solids concentrations during storms. The creek
(1) The Type IV study is a cooperative State and Department of Agriculture
venture whose purpose is to identify natural resource problems and de-
velop methods for correcting them.
5-20
-------
FIGURE 5-6
SOIL EROSION MAP
FROSIDN
~ SLIGHT (0-0.5 TONS/ACRE/YR)
MODERATE (0.5-1.0 TONS/ACRE/YR)
(GREATER THAN 1.0 TONS/ACRE/YR)
HEAVY-
STREAM REACHES WITH USE IMPAIRMENT
CAUSED BY EXCESSIVELY HIGH TOTAL
SUSPENDED SOLIDS CONCENTRATIONS
10
10
to 30 40
SCALE IN MILCI
iSSf-N
B+Wa
Cn
CH2M
58 HILL
-------
was not shown as impaired for fisheries in Chapter 3 because fishery is not a
designated use for that creek.
Calculated empirical sediment loadings from general erosion are compared with
instream suspended sediment loads measured at Blacks Fork near Little America
and Green River below Green River on Figure 5-7 and Figure 5-8, respectively.
Annual sediment loads at both locations vary considerably. However, the
empirical estimate falls in the range of the measured instream sediment
loads, and the empirical load estimate at both locations differs by only 30
percent from the average annual instream loads. Therefore, the calculated
empirical loadings from general erosion can account for essentially all the
suspended sediment in the streams.
General erosion rates were applied to chemical data on soils from the Eden-
Farson area in Sweetwater County and neighboring Fremont County to yield an
estimate of the salinity and total phosphorus to be expected from eroded soil
and a particular soil type. Chemical information was available on the solubility
of cations in the saturation extract and the available phosphorus for each
soil type in the two areas. Cation solubility was converted to total dissolved
solids by assuming cations to be divided evenly between sodium and calcium
and anions to be divided evenly between bicarbonate and sulfate. Available
phosphorus was assumed to approximate total phosphorus.
Chemical data from the Eden-Farson and Riverton areas were applied to the
soils in the study area by comparing soil types (gravelly, loamy, clayey,
etc.) in the Eden-Farson and Riverton areas with those in the study area.
The erodible soils in the study area were determined to range 0.03-0.08
percent phosphorus and 0.2-1.1 percent soluble cations.
Empirical phosphorus loads from general erosion are shown on Table 5-7 for
two stretches in the Green River, the entire Blacks Fork drainage, and three
tributaries in the Blacks Fork. As shown on the table, general erosion can
potentially account for all the phosphorus in both the Green River and the
Blacks Fork. Only in the Hams Fork and the Green River stretch includinq
Bitter Creek is there phosphorus in the river which is unaccounted for by~
general erosion.
Figure 5-9 indicates those reaches in the study area which have the highest
loading rates of phosphorus. These critical areas for phosphorus include Red
Creek, Killpecker Creek, Jack Morrow Creek, and a region containing Lower
Muddy Creek, Little Muddy Creek, and the Church Butte reach of the Blacks
Fork. These reaches do not all have the largest phosphorus loadinas from
general erosion (in tons per year) . Seventy tons of phosphorus per year are
estimated to come from erosion in the Upper Bitter Creek reach, for example
However, these reaches have the highest unit loading rates (in tons per acre
per year). Some controls such as revegetation to reduce erosion are aimed
specifically at reducing the unit loading rates and only indirectly at reducing
loadings.
Estimated phosphorus loadings from general erosion are listed on Table 5-8
for the five critical reaches tributary to Flaming Gorge Reservoir (excluding
Red Creek) . The total loading from general erosion in these five reaches is"
5-22
-------
600,000
Q
<
o
_l
AVERAGE INSTREAM LOAD OVER PERIOD
EMPIRICAL LOAD ESTIMATE
•1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976
NOTEi NO DATA FROM 1972 TO 1974.
FIGURE 5-7
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS LOADS AT
BUCKS FORK NEAR LITTLE AMERICA
CH2M
BHILL
-------
250,000
O
<
o
-I
<
t-
~
»-
200,000
g 150,000
r| ^
Si4
§1
UIH
0.w
lA
r»
in
100,000
50,000
EMPIRICAL LOAD ESTIMATE
AVERAGE INSTREAM
LOAD OVER PERIOD
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
FIGURE 5-8
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS LOADS AT
GREEN RIVER NEAR GREEN RIVER
CH2M
IS HILL
-------
Table 5-7
ESTIMATED PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS FROM GENERAL FROSION TO FLAMING GORGE
Stretch of River
Empirical Estimates of
Phosphorus Loading From
General Frosion
(tons/year)
Total Phosphorus Load
Generated in Stretch
(tons/year)
(1)
1975
1976
Green River
Mainstem and tributaries
from station below
Fontenelle to station
at Big Island
Station at Big Island to
station below Green
River
TOTAL
Blacks Fork
Smiths Fork, headwaters
to near Lyman
Muddy Creek, headwaters
to near Hampton
Hams Fork, headwaters
to near Granger
Blacks Fork mainstem
and minor tributaries
TOTAL
Other Tributaries to
Flaming Gorge
105
135
240
15
120
20
40
195
75
20
95
115
25
270
295
10
15
30
25
80
(1) From Figure 5-1
-------
r
ii
SLIGHT(0.0-0.4 LBS/ACRE/YEAR)
FIGURE 5-9
PHOSPHORUS LOADING RATES
«IM
•!«»«
CkMlf 1IM
IA IMKI
LEGCND
NUIVlll
UMht
~ »!»• Lft
rtNtiNfuf
n
gUVI (MCI
niimui
iMv Miua
ncu
lit IMV
(Mil
inni t*it*
IHUIH
lima ua«
nut
ilftil HI
NN»| |U J
Ilif ft
-------
Table 5-8
PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS FROM GENERAL EROSION IN THE REACHES
WITH THE HIGHEST PHOSPHORUS LOADING RATES
Phosphorus Loading
Reach (tons/year)
Killpecker Creek 10
Jack Morrow Creek 26
Lower Muddy Creek 34
Little Muddy Creek 81
Church Butte-Blacks Fork 19
TOTAL 170
5-27
-------
170 tons per year, which is 33 percent of the total empirical phosphorus
loading to the reservoir from general erosion.
Unlike phosphorus, little of the salinity load in the Green River and the
Blacks Fork is attributed to general erosion. Table 5-9 shows estimated
salinity loadings from general erosion. These loadings account for 3 percent
of the salt load increases within the study area from the Blacks Fork and
Green River drainages.
Animals can have an impact on phosphorus and sediment loadings from general
erosion by overgrazing the land. Figure 5-10 shows those areas in the Green
River watershed with poor range conditions and moderate to heavy erosion
rates. Range conditions and erosion rates have been defined by SCS in the
Type IV study for the Green River Basin.
Six critical reaches for phosphorus loading rates from erosion were identified
on Figure 5-9. Two of these reaches, Ki![pecker Creek and Red Creek, are
shown on Figure 5-10 to have generally poor range conditions and heavy erosion
rates. Two other critical reaches, Lower Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek,
are shown to have generally poor range conditions and moderate erosion rates.
The most significant impacts of overgrazing on phosphorus loadings probably
occur in these four reaches. The other two reaches, Jack Morrow Creek and
the Church Butte reach of the Blacks Fork, do not have poor range conditions.
Loadings From Local Frosion
As concluded in the previous section, loadings from general erosion appear to
account for all the suspended solids in the streams, most of the phosphorus
in the streams, and all except one of the use impairments caused by excessive
total suspended solids concentrations. Therefore, local erosion does not
appear to have a significant influence on general water quality in the study
area at the present time.
However, the water quality data indicate that local erosion may be causing
high suspended solids concentrations in two reaches. The first of these is
Salt Wells Creek, which has a mean total suspended solids concentration of
18, 832 mp/l during the wet season (March through September) . This creek does
not pass through an area of moderate to high erodibility (see Figure 5-6),
and therefore general erosion would not appear capable of producing the high
suspended solids concentrations. However, extensive oil and gas drilling is
occurring in the Salt Wells watershed, and local erosion from these areas may
cause the high concentrations. Each drilling site is estimated to disturb
approximately 3 acres. This disturbed area becomes highly susceptible to
local erosion. Although it is difficult to estimate the extent of drilling
in the watershed, up to 1,000 sites may have been disturbed over the last
20 years.
The second reach where local erosion may have had an impact is Lower Bitter
Creek. The mean total suspended solids concentration in this reach during
the wet season is 12,092 mg/l. Killpecker Creek and Upper Bitter Creek are
tributary to this reach, so a substantial part of the sediment may be delivered
by general erosion. However, many activities capable of creating local
5-28
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Table 5-9
ESTIMATES OF SALINITY LOADINGS FROM GENERAL FROSIPN
Empirical Fstimates of
Total Dissolved Solids
From General Erosion
(tons/year)
Stretch of River
Green River
Sublette-Sweetwater line
to station below
Fontenel le
Station below Fontenel le
to station at Big Island
Station at Big Island
to station below Green
River
Blacks Fork
Headwaters to station
near Lyman
Station near Lympn to
station near Little
America
Other Direct Tributaries to
Flaming Gorge
TOTAL
680
U, 700
6,850
660
6,475
3,215
22,580
(D
(1) Total dissolved solids increase from all sources is 760,000 tons per year.
5-29
-------
POOR RANGE CONDITION
AND HEAVY EROSION RATE
POOR RANGE CONDITION AND
MODERATE EROSION RATE
FIGURE 5-10
CRITICAL AREAS
FOR
RANGE IMPROVEMENT
-------
erosion occur in the vicinity of this reach. These include channelization,
urban and highway construction, and recreational vehicle use on the surrounding
hills.
Although local erosion may be contributing to the sediment concentrations in
Salt Wells Creek and Lower Bitter Creek, no use impairment related to sediment
occurs in either reach because fishery is not a desired use. Therefore,
except for overgrazing, man-related activities have seemed to cause no use
impairments in the study area. In the future, as described in Chapter 6,
local erosion particularly from road construction may begin to affect the
uses of water in the study area. At the present time, however, local erosion
does not appear to affect adversely water quality in terms of use impairments.
Loadings From Manure Runoff
Animals directly influence phosphorus loads in the rivers in the study area
in two ways. First, manure can be washed into stream courses by snowmelt and
storm water runoff. Second, overgrazing can accelerate erosion of phosphorus-
bearing soils.
The portion of the Green River Basin in the study area contains approximately
200,000 cattle and sheep, of which 60 percent are assumed to be in the Blacks
Pork watershed and 40 percent in the Green River watershed. Phosphorus
production by cattle was estimated at 35 pounds per head per year in a report
done for the Teton County 208 Project, and 5 percent of the phosphorus in the
manure was assumed in that report to be delivered to the streams by runoff.
This delivery rate falls in the range of runoff losses from manure spread on
frozen ground and is probably too high during periods when the ground is not
frozen. Therefore a delivery rate of 2 percent was assumed in the study
area. Given this delivery rate and phosphorus production rate, the estimated
phosphorus loading from manure runoff to Flaming Gorge Reservoir is 65 tons
per year. Forty tons are delivered to the reservoir by Blacks Fork and
25 tons by the Green River.
A comparison of estimated loadings from manure runoff with the instream
phosphorus loads shows that manure is an important contributor to the phosphorus
loads reaching Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Manure loadings could account for
16 percent of the phosphorus delivered to the reservoir by the Green River
and Blacks Fork in 1976.
Loading From Irrigation Return Flows
The greatest impact of agriculture on water quality in the study area is
increasing salt loads carried by rivers. The mechanism is irrigation return
flows. Agriculture may also increase sediment loads because of erosion along
irrigation canals, particularly in areas where flood irrigation occurs. The
magnitudes of both of these impacts are estimated in this section of the
report.
Irrigated areas are shown on Figure 5-11. Large areas of irrigation are
located along the Bear River and the Salt River. In the Green River Basin,
the largest areas of irrigation are located near Lyman on the Blacks Fork and
5-31
-------
IRRIGATED AREAS
1
-.ssssr.-
FIGURE 5-11
IRRIGATED AREAS
-------
the Smiths Fork, near Eden and Farson on the Big Sandy River, and in the
Henrys Fork area. Irrigated acreages in the study area are given on Table
5-10. The acreage includes irrigated lands, occasionally irrigated lands,
and subirrigated lands. The actual irrigated acreage is somewhat less than
the values shown on Table 5-10.
An estimate was made of the salt loading from irrigation return flows in the
Bridger Valley on the Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork. It was assumed that
4 feet of water are applied to the land during an irrigation season and that
the excess irrigation water returns to the Blacks Fork at the average concen-
tration of the shallow ground water in the Blacks Fork area. This averaqe,
calculated from data on eight wells, was 654 mg/l of total dissolved solids.'
Given these assumptions, the salt load from irrigation return flow in this
area is 125,000 tons per year, or 2.0 tons per acre per year. The loading
rate is comparable to the rate of 2.4 tons per acre per year calculated by
EPA for this area.
Cround water quality information was insufficient for other areas in the
Green River Basin to make salt loading estimates. Salt loading estimates
from the literature are given for the other major irrigated areas in the
Green River Basin on Table 5-11. The salt loading in the Green River Basin
generated within the study area is 760,000 tons per year. The loadings from
irrigation return flows account for approximately 37 percent of the total
load generated.
Phosphorus may be delivered from irrigated areas by erosion of banks along
irrigation canals and ditches. Erosion has been observed in the Star Valley
and the Bridger Valley. Sediment has to be cleared periodically from ditches
and canals in these areas in order to ensure proper flow. Much of the eroded
sediment probably does not reach the rivers through the irrigation canal
systems. Flows are generally too slow in irrigation canals where they meet
rivers to carry much eroded sediment. Therefore, erosion along irrigation
canals and ditches is considered a local problem which has an impact on
individual farmers, but probably has a small influence on the phosphorus
loads delivered to the reservoirs.
The Yellowstone-Tongue River 208 Plan for a six-county area in northeastern
Montana found an average sediment loading of 65 pounds per acre per year from
hay fields and pasture. In the Green River Basin, hay fields and pasture
account for most of the irrigated area. If the loading rate determined in
the Yellowstone-Tongue River area could be applied to the Green River Basin
the entire irrigated acreage in the Green River Basin delivers 4 000 tons of
sediment and 3 tons of phosphorus per year. These loading rates are lower
than those from lands in the area which have been left in their natural
state.
Loadings From Urban Runoff
Urban areas cover less than 1 percent of the study area. Therefore the
influence of urban runoff on phosphorus loadings to reservoirs or on sediment
loadings to streams in the study area is considered small. However, future
construction activity in highly erosive areas like Killpecker Creek may
5-33
-------
Table 5-10
IRRIGATED ACREAGE IN STUDY AREA
Irriaated
River Acreaete
Snake River Basin
Snake River 0
Greys River 0
Salt River 56,000
Bear River Basin
Mainstem of Bear River, Sulphur Creek,
and Mill Creek 45,000
Twin Creek, Smiths Fork, and Other 14,000
Green River Basin
Mainstem of Green River 3,000
Big Sandy River 19,000
Other Tributaries to Mainstem of Green
River 13,000
Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork 62,000
Other Tributaries to Blacks Fork 3,000
Hams Fork 11,000
Henrys Fork 18,000
Great Divide Basin
All Streams 0
TOTAL 244,000
5-34
-------
Table 5-11
SALT LOADING ESTIMATES FROM IRRIGATION RETURN FLOWS
Area
Blacks Fork and
Smiths Fork
Big Sandy River
Hams Fork
Henrys Fork
TOTAL
Annual Salt
Loadings
(tons)
125,000
up to
277,000
140,000
73,000
17,000
88,000
303,000-507,000
Loading Rate
(tons/ac/yr)
2.0
2.4
up to
14.6
7.4
3.9
1.5
4.9
Reference
This study
epaO)
SCS
(2)
SCS (3)
epaH)
EPA
EPA
(1)
(1)
(1) Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. The mineral quality problems
in the Colorado River Basin, summary report.
(2) Soil Conservation Service. August 1976. USDA plan of study for the
Big Sandy unit, draft.
(3) Soil Conservation Service. May 1975. Plan of study for USDA partici-
pation in salinity control investigations for the Big Sandy River unit,
Wyoming, draft.
5-35
-------
produce large sediment loads capable of carrying phosphorus to the reservoirs.
Accurate estimates of these future loadings are impossible because of the
lack of information on loads from areas that previously underwent construction
in the study area and because of the uncertainty about the amount of future
construction and the types of construction practices that will be used.
Loadings From Septic Tanks
Most of the population in the study area is on municipal systems with discharges
monitored under the NPDES program. Approximately 2,000 people in the Blacks
Fork watershed and 2,300 people in that part of Green River watershed in the
study area and tributary to Flaming Gorge Reservoir are on systems with no
surface discharges. These systems include either septic tanks or nondischarging
lagoons. Almost half of the total population on these systems is located in
the Rock Springs-Green River area.
The estimated phosphorus loading discharged to these systems is 3.0 tons per
year in the Green River watershed and 2.4 tons per year in the Blacks Fork
watershed. With proper soil conditions and design, no phosphorus should be
delivered from these systems to the surface waters. All the phosphorus
should be sorbed to soil particles before the leachate or seepage reaches the
streams. In reality, some of the systems in the study area are failing
because of overloading and poor soil conditions. Therefore, it is assumed
that up to 50 percent of the phosphorus discharged to the systems may eventually
reach the streams. Given this assumption, phosphorus loadings from septic
tanks and nondischarging lagoons to streams may be as high as-1.5 tons per
year in the Green River watershed and 1.2 tons per year in the Blacks Fork
watershed.
Loadings From Ground Water Discharge
Salinity and phosphorus loads from ground water discharge to surface water
are the most difficult contaminant sources in the study area to quantify.
However, enough information is known about the ground water system to allow
identification of the critical areas of ground water impact on surface
water. These critical areas are identified in this section of the report.
In order for ground water to pick up significant amounts of salts or phosphorus,
three conditions must be present.
¦ The consolidated or unconsolidated material through which the
ground water passes must have leachable salts or phosphorus
¦ A source of recharge to the ground water must be present in order
to create a head and force ground water movement
¦ The geologic structure must facilitate deep circulation and then
resurfacing of the ground water
The presence of these three conditions in any area indicates an area of
significant ground water impact on surface water.
5-36
-------
Regions in the study area with rocks of high leachability are shown on Figure
5-12. One region includes the Mancos shales, whose potential for delivering
high salt loads has been identified in other areas of the Colorado River
Basin. In the study area, these shales are called the Frontier, Hilliard,
Baxter, and Cody Formations. Because of their marine origin, the shales have
large amounts of leachable sodium, chlorine, and sulfate.
As shown on Figure 5-12, the largest regions of Mancos shales are located in
the Bitter Creek, Salt Wells Creek, and Little Muddy Creek watersheds.
Movement of ground water along contact zones with these shales is probably
the reason for the high sulfate, chloride, and total dissolved loads in Kill-
pecker Creek and Bitter Creek, which cause impairment of livestock and wild-
life watering in those areas.
A second critical region includes the Wilkins Peak Formation and the Bridger
Formation, which are widespread inside the area delineated by the contact
2one on Figure 5-12. The Wilkins Peak Formation is particularly high in
leachable sodium and carbonates and contains the trona patch presently being
mined near Green River. The Bridger Formation is concentrated in calcium and
sulfate. Calcium sulfate has a lower solubility than the sodium salts, and,
therefore, the Bridger Formation is generally not as highly leachable as the
Wilkins Peak Formation or the Mancos shales.
The leachability of the Bridger Formation is greatly increased along the
contact zone between that formation and the Wilkins Peak Formation. In most
parts of the study area, interaction between the two formations is prevented
by a layer of impermeable Laney shale located between the two formations.
However, along the contact zone, where the Laney shale is extremely thin or
nonexistent, salts from the two formations interact in the following manner:
sodium and bicarbonate from the Wilkins Peak Formation react with calcium and
sulfate from the Bridger Formation to yield a precipitate of calcium carbonate
along with dissolved sodium and sulfate. This interaction has two serious
impacts. First, the chemical reaction pumps highly soluble sodium sulfate
into the ground water system, which can create SAR problems in irrigation
Water and laxative problems in drinking water. Second, the calcium carbonate
precipitate increases the permeability of the rock and permits a larger
quantity of highly saline water to pass through the rock and into the surface
water.
Water must move through the rocks mentioned above in order to produce large
salt loads in the ground water. In many areas there is little water available
to recharge ground water and create a movement through the rock. One such
area is the trona patch, which is filled with trona (sodium sesquicarbonate)
which has not been leached out because of the absence of perennial streams or
sufficient preciptation to recharge the ground water.
'The most important recharge areas in the study area occur along the perennial
streams. Although most of the flow in these streams remains in the stream
channels, some seeps through the banks and recharges the ground water system.
Recharge in the study area has been increased by the construction of upstream
Reservoirs and by irrigation. These two activities convert some of the flow
which used to continue downstream in the rivers to seepage and ground water
•"©charge.
5-37
-------
8! CONTACT ZONE BETWEEN
WILK INS PEAK FORMATION
AND BRID6ER FORMATION
MANCOS SHALES
,FONTENELLE DAM ^.BjG SANDY DAM
EDEN DAM
t
1
WW
*
¦J&PV
FIGURE 5-12
AREAS OF HIGHLY LEACHABLE MATERIALS
IN GREEN RIVER BASIN (SURFACE GEOLOGY HAP)
v— •*«•»*
3*Hfmr
c*
CH2M
KHIU
-------
Four river sections have been identified to be in a region of highly leachable
rock and soils and in a region of adequate recharge. These are two of the
three conditions mentioned earlier for producing large salt loads in ground
water. The four sections are—
¦ Big Sandy River between Big Sandy Reservoir and the confluence with
the Green River, and Green River between the confluence with Big
Sandy River and the confluence with Bitter Creek
¦ Hams Fork between Kemmerer and Granger
¦ Blacks Fork (including Smiths Fork) between Robertson and Granger
¦ Henrys Fork between Burnt Fork and Manila
These river sections are shown on Figure 5-13 along with their associated
recharge areas.
A geologic structure that facilitates ground water movement is the third
critical element needed to produce large salinity loadings. This type of
structure is found in only two of the above four river sections—the Big
Sandy River and the Blacks Fork sections. These two reaches account for most
of the salinity loadings to Flaming Gorge attributable to ground water.
Large salinity loads are generated in the Big Sandy River section and the
Blacks Fork section. Sodium and sulfate are the major contributors to the
increase in total dissolved solids in these two sections. The situation in
the Big Sandy is described below. The two reservoirs and the irrigation
project are located at the upgradient end of the syncline and along the
contact zone of the Bridger and Wilkins Peak Formations. Saline seeps are
located at the downgradient end of the syncline. The syncline permits a
deeper circulation of the shallow ground water (up to 300 feet) and a longer
contact time with the salinity-producing rocks. A similar situation occurs
in the Blacks Fork.
Structure in the Big Sandy area not only facilitates deeper circulation of
ground water in the shallow aquifers, but also appears to allow very little
of the highly saline water in the deep aquifers to reach the surface. Ground
water in the deep aquifers would have to be forced through undeformed oil
shale (Laney Formation) in order to reach the surface. Although this deep
ground water is under a large head which has produced artesian conditions in
weljs in the area, large volumes of water probably do not pass through the
oil shale because of its low permeability. A preliminary SCS water budget
for the area, which will be refined in their final study on the Big Sandy
unit of the Colorado River Salinity Project, substantiates the conclusion
that no large volumes of water are delivered from the deep aquifer to the Big
Sandy River. A rough water budget for the Bridger Valley area done by SWWQPA
for this study indicates that, as in the Big Sandy area, an insignificant
amount of salinity in the Blacks Fork stretch can be attributed to movement
of ground water in the deep aquifers to the surface.
5-39
-------
RECHARGE AREA
RIVER SECTION
IMPACTED BY
GROUND WATER
I
k
)
"3sr-
FIGURE 5-13
CRITICAL AREAS IMPACTED
BY GROUND WATER
N
10 0 10 to >0 40
SCALE IN MILCS
_ft8fT°rfr
•»V£CTV*TOt4
MmWrn
C*
-------
Structure appears to impede deep circulation of ground water in the shallow
aquifers and movement of the ground water in the deep aquifer to the surface
ln the Henrys Fork and Hams Fork stretches. In Henrys Fork, high concentrations
of calcium sulfate are present from leaching of the Bridger Formation.
However, structure apparently does not facilitate circulation through the
contact zone in the Henrys Fork watershed, because large loadings of sodium
sulfate are not present in the river. A similar situation occurs in the Hams
Fork. The upper sections of this river and Viva Naughton Reservoir are
'ocated in a geologic overthrust belt, and recharge from this area may move
downwards into the deeper ground waters which do not impact surface waters in
the Hams Fork.
The discussion above indicates that most of the salinity loadings from ground
water come from the shallow aquifers in the Big Sandy-Green River and Blacks
Fork stretches, and not from either the deep aquifers in those two stretches
or from shallow and deep aquifers in the Henrys Fork and Hams Fork stretches.
Salinity loadings from ground water have been calculated by subtracting the
•oadings calculated earlier for irrigation return flows and erosion from the
salinity loads in the river. These differences are shown for the Green
River, Blacks Fork, and Henrys Fork on Table 5-12.
Phosphorus loads in ground water result from the same three conditions which
Produce large salinity loads in ground water. The Permian Phosphoria Formation
contains a high content of phosphorus. Because of its age, the formation is
often far below the surface and below the ground water systems affecting
surface water in the study area. Figure 5-14 shows those areas where the
formation is near enough to the surface to have a potential impact on surface
water quality.
The largest phosphorus deposits and the greatest impact of them on surface
Water appear to be in the Bear River and Greys River watersheds. Water
quality data indicate high phosphorus loads in the Bear River, particularly
jn the lower reaches; however, information is not available to define the
importance of phosphorus in ground water to the total load in the river.
"ater quality data on phosphorus in the Greys River are scarce, so neither
total loads nor the contribution of ground water can be determined.
loading budgets for phosphorus
To summarize the loads from all phosphorus sources to Flaming Gorge Reservoir,
Table 5-13 is presented. The values were derived from the empirical method
described earlier, rather than from actual data directly. The empirical data
more convenient to work with because they relate directly to the sources,
•"¦stream data, on the other hand, lump all sources together. Total empirical
'oads are compared with actual instream data on Table 5-13. The agreement
for the Green River Arm is satisfactory; the apparent disagreement in the
B'acks Fork Arm has not been investigated, but is likely due to low flow or
climatic differences for the year for which specific instream data are shown,
because phosphorus levels are highly dependent on erosion, and therefore
Precipitation patterns, wide variations instream are likely. The empirical
Values tend to average out these variations.
5-41
-------
Table 5-12
SALINITY LOADINGS IN THF STUDY AREA FROM GROUND WATFR
Salinity Loadings From
Ground Water
River (1,000 tons/year)
Green River 141-345 ^
Blacks Fork 1 81 ^
Henrys Fork 19
(1) Loading comes primarily from shallow aquifers in the Big Sandy-Green
River stretch.
(2) Loading comes primarily from shallow aquifers in the Blacks Fork stretch.
5-42
-------
V
*
flw*
FIGURE 5-lt
PHOSPHATE DEPOSITS miCH
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
IMPACT SURFACE WATERS
M
to to 10
SCM.K IN MILKS
CH2M
s:hill
-------
Table 5-13
PHOSPHORUS BUDGET FOR FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
(tons/year)
Source
To
Green River
Arm
To
Blacks Fork
Arm
To Main Body
of Flaming'Gbrge
Reservoir
Point sources
54
12
0
Septic tanks
2
1
0
Erosion (general)
240
195
75
Manure
25
40
0
Erosion (local)
negligible
negligible
negl igible
Urban runoff
negl igible
negligible
negligible
Irrigation returns
negligible
negligible
negl igible
Ground water
negligible
negligible
negligible
Green River Arm
-
-
99
Blacks Fork Arm
-
-
12-27
TOTALS
321
248
186-201
1976 Instream
levels
295
80
5-44
-------
The Green River Arm and Blacks Fork Arm serve as natural phosphorus treatment
basins for the main body of the reservoir. Phosphorus is reduced in the two
arms by sedimentation of particulate phosphorus and by algal uptake and
settling. Phosphorus loadings from the two arms to the main body of the
reservoir have been estimated from total phosphorus concentrations in the
arms and flows at Green River near Green River and Blacks Fork near Little
America. Only 31 percent of the 321 tons per year delivered to the Green
River Arm and 5 to 11 percent of the 248 tons per year delivered to the
Blacks Fork Arm are estimated to reach the main body of the reservoir.
Because of the natural processes occurring in the two arms, the estimated
Phosphorus loading reaching the main body of the reservoir is less than the
estimated phosphorus loadings reaching either of the two arms.
The loadings from the two arms to the main body of the reservoir are based on
limited water quality data. More work on these loading estimates should be
done as more phosphorus data in the two arms become available.
LOADING BUDGET FOR SALINITY
A loading budget for salinity in the Green River Basin is presented on
Table 5-14. Empirical estimates have been made of the salinity delivered in
¦rrigation return flows and from erosion. The salt loadings in ground water
are the difference between the measured instream loads and the empiricially
derived loadings from irrigation return flows and erosion. As shown on the
table, most of the salt loading comes from natural ground water discharge to
the surface waters. Irrigation return flows account for an estimated 35 to
^8 percent of the salts generated in the study area. The salt contribution
from erosion is negligible.
Table 5-14 shows salinity loadings in terms of total dissolved solids. As
has been noted in previous chapters, other species such as sulfate or total
hardness may be of more concern to users than total dissolved solids. Infor-
mation from this chapter indicates that the salts generated in the study area
9re characteristically sodium sulfate. Domestic water users, livestock, and
Wildlife can benefit from salinity controls in the study area which lead to a
reduction in sulfate concentrations. On the other hand, industry in the
study area may benefit by salinity controls in Sublette County, because most
the calcium hardness found in the Green River within the study area is
delivered to the river by sources in that county.
5-45
-------
Table 5-14
SALINITY BUDGET FOR STUDY AREA SECTION! OF GREEN RIVER BASIN
(1,000 tons/year)
Source
Irrigation return
flows
Green River
73-277
Erosion (general) 12
Ground water 141-345
Point sources
Septic tanks
Manure
Urban runoff
TOTAL
negl igible
negl igible
negligible
negligible
430
Blacks Fork
142
7
181
negligible
negligible
negligible
negligible
330
Henrys Fork
88
3
19
negligible
negligible
negligible
negligible
110
Total
303-507
(35-58%)
22 (3%)
341-545
(39-62%)
870 (100%)
5-46
-------
-------
Chapter 6
FUTURE WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS
The information on existing water quality given in Chapter 3 can be used to
predict future water quality by applying it to estimates of future conditions
in the study area. Future conditions were determined by estimating the
degree loadings from pollution sources were likely to change in the future in
the absence of specific control actions.
IMPACTS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
In Chapter 5 both man-caused and natural sources of pollution were discussed.
However, projections of future water quality are only made in terms of man-
caused sources. Pollutant loadings from natural sources vary considerably
from year to year because of the large changes in the amounts and intensities
of precipitation. For example, during a year characterized by a large number
of intense thunderstorms, erosion will be relatively high and streams will
carry relatively large loads of phosphorus. In contrast, during a dry year
the pollution loadings from such natural sources will be low. It has been
assumed here that these weather effects would balance out and that there will
be no increase or decrease in pollutant loadings from natural sources over
the next 20 to 40 years.
On the other hand, pollutant loadings from man-induced sources are likely to
change considerably over the next 20 to 40 years. The study area contains
vast, untapped mineral reserves, as shown on Figures 6-1, 6-2, and 6-3.
Information from the State Engineer's Qffice and from energy and mineral
companies indicates that there will be a rapid development of these resources
over the next 20 to 40 years. The development of resources will be particularly
intense in Sweetwater County. Rock Springs, already with the atmosphere and
appearance of a boom town, should continue to grow at a rapid rate. Population
growth from mineral resources development should also take place in the Town
of Creen River and the Kemmerer area.
Mineral resources development will have strong impacts on future water quality
without the institution of water quality management practices. These impacts
will be secondary in nature. Almost all existing mineral resources development
has had minimal direct impact on surface water because it has taken place at
great distances from surface waters, because all energy and mineral development
industries are not discharging wastewater, and because development has not
taken place in areas of recharge to those ground water aquifers which have an
eventual impact on surface waters. One exception is coal mining along Hams
Fork near Kemmerer. Most future mineral resources development is assumed to
continue in areas with minimal direct impact on surface waters.
Future secondary impacts of mineral resources development on water quality
may be severe, however. These impacts include—
¦ Greater consumptive use of water, which may have the effect of
concentrating contaminants remaining instream.
6-1
-------
¦ Population growth, which will increase the discharge of pollutants
from wastewater treatment plants unless treatment is upgraded.
¦ Construction of roads, homes, and businesses, which will increase
erosion rates unless special construction practices are used.
¦ Channelization of streams to protect roads, railroads, homes, and
businesses, which may have the effect of increasing the stream
gradient, thereby increasing both the erosive capabilities of the
streams and their capabilities to carry sediment loads to the major
rivers and reservoirs.
The secondary impacts in the study area of energy and mineral development
fall into three major categories: increased erosion, increased wastewater
discharges from municipal treatment plants, and increased instream pollutant
concentrations from new diversions and depletions. The pollutant loadings
from increased erosion are difficult to quantify. Because of the importance
of erosion to phosphorus loadings to Flaming Gorge Reservoir (see Chapter 5),
increases in pollutant loadings from new erosion may be substantial for not
only phosphorus but also other pollutants such as metals. The effects of
the other two secondary impacts, increased wastewater discharges and increased
diversions and depletions, have been assessed for the two scenarios described
in the following section.
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SCENARIOS
Scenar ios of the study area's potential growth have been developed to estimate
what impact future developments will have on water quality. A scenario
describes the kind and level of possible development and the associated
socioeconomic characteristics. The basic data used in forming the scenarios
included population and employment forecasts and local development plans
Information was gathered from industry and the three levels of government.
Purpose of Scenarios
The end objective of the scenarios was to provide water demand forecasts in
order to establish a basis for determining potential water quality problems
and for testing the effectiveness of possible control concepts, as discussed
in a later chapter. It is not important that the scenarios be entirely
accurate in terms of specific industries. Their purpose is to reflect the
relationship of different levels of development to water quality. Two scenarios
have been generated to see if different development patterns produce signifi-
cantly different water quality situations. Through the computer model, the
scenarios have been used to tell what developments will have what kind of
water quality impacts and what level of development is associated with what
degree of impact. Although they have been devised from the best data available
the scenarios are only estimates of future growth drawn from existing document.;'
not from original research. '
6-2
-------
Development of Scenarios
Two scenarios were prepared to represent different intensities of development
as implied by the wide range of population and employment projections in the
various studies consulted. Both considered six major impact areas: (1)
Green River, (2) Rock Springs, (3) Bridger Valley, (4) Evanston, (5) Kemmerer,
and (6) a new town that would be built near Wamsutter.
The more aggressive scenario has been titled "Energy Export." It assumes
that the resources of the study area will be converted locally and that the
resulting energy will be shipped to outside areas. This scenario assumes (1)
an exponential demand for energy in the U.S., (2) continued increases in
international crude oil prices, (3) national policy for energy independence,
(4) quantum technological advancements, and (5) sufficient water and labor
supply. Given these assumptions, development of oil shale and coal gasifica-
tion and accelerated electric power generation are possible. This scenario
results in a population increase in the SWWQPA area from about 79,000 in 1985
to approximately 143,000 by the year 2000.
The less aggressive scenario has been titled "Coal Export." It projects that
population in the SWWQPA study area will be about 73,000 in 1985 and 85,000
in the year 2000. The scenario is based on the export of coal from the study
area to other areas for energy conversion. The assumptions used included (1)
the people of Wyoming will decide against further development of power gener-
ating facilities that export energy to outside areas; (2) technology permitting
the use of high sulfur eastern coal, oil shale, or coal gasification will be
developed; (3) the national demand for energy will not expand as rapidly as
projected in the early 1970's.
Population estimates resulting from the two levels of development are presented
on Table 6-1. The actual level of development that does occur will depend
not only on economic factors, but also on policy decisions made at the State
or national level. The two scenarios that have been developed reflect both
these influences on growth.
Table 6-1
POPULATION ESTIMATES
Energy Export Scenario
Impact Area
1975
1985
2000
Green River
9,000
20,270
33,670
Rock Springs
20,000
36,600
60,800
Bridger Valley
3,200
3,940
7,110
Evanston
4,900
5,470
9,860
Kemmerer
4,600
10,100
19,900
Wamsutter
-
2,550
11,290
TOTAL
41,700
78,930
142,630
6-3
-------
Table 6-1 (Continued)
Coal Export Scenario
Impact Area
1975
1985
2000
Evanston
Kemmerer
Warrisutter
Green River
Rock Springs
Bridger Valley
9,000
20,000
3,200
4,900
4,600
17,010
31,590
4,170
5,760
10,600
3,970
20, 020
36,205
4, 388
6,060
11,700
6, 890
TOTAL
41,700
73,110
85,263
The employment multiplier used in the two scenarios is the same as that
developed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in its Sublette County study
(USBR, Sept. 1976) . It is obtained by assuming that 2.2 service jobs follow
each additional basic job. The product of this calculation is then divided
by 1.2, which is the average number of persons employed per household in the
SWWQPA area, and then multiplied by the average household size, which is 3.4.
Thus, for every 100 new basic employment positions, population will increase
by 623, as calculated below:
100 x 2.2 t 1,2 x 3.4= 62 3
This multiplier was applied to all basic employment except construction. A
multiplier of 4.5 was assumed for this sector due to the smaller family sizes
typically associated with construction workers. Using the same formula
presented above, but reducing the average family size from 3.4 to 2.45 results
in a construction multiplier of 4.5.
Water Demands
The projected water demands for 2000 for both scenarios are given on Table 6-2.
As is evident from this table, depletions due to agricultural demands and
reservoir evaporation are not predicted to change under either scenario.
However, industrial and municipal depletions increase significantly. The
location and quantity of existing industrial depletions in the Green River
Basin are shown on Figure 6-4, while the location and quantity of projected
industrial depletions under the two scenarios are shown on Figures 6-5 and 6-6.
6-4
-------
Table 6-2
WATER DEPLETION ESTIMATES FOR THE STUDY AREA
(In acre-feet per year)
1975
2000
Energy Export Coal Export
Agricultural
Municipal
Other (1)
Reservoir
Industrial
63,590
223,650
4,170
9,310
175,174
223,650
14,270
23,300
104,674
223,650
8,715
23,300
Evaporation
73,000
73,000
73,000
TOTAL
373,720
509,394
433,339
(1) The "Other" category includes water used for fish and wildlife and for
livestock depletions.
The total depletions presented on Table 6-2 do not consider transbasin diver-
sions. However, any Green River diversions to the Great Divide Basin are not
considered transbasin diversions and are therefore reflected in the above
depletions. Because transbasin diversions are not included, these water
demand estimates are somewhat lower than those of the State of Wyoming. The
State has assumed that by 2000 about 92,000 acre-feet will be diverted to
other basins within the State. Also, the SWWQPA 208 study area is not
conterminous with the Green River Basin boundaries, which were used by the
State of Wyoming. The Green River Basin water depletion projections include
demands for Green River water in Sublette and Carbon Counties, whereas those
for the SWWQPA study area do not. Moreover, the 208 boundaries include
portions of the Snake and Bear River Basins. Agricultural depletions in
these two basins total about 114,000 acre-feet per year. In conclusion, it
is difficult to effectively correlate projected water depletions for the 208
study area with those for the Green River Basin.
In order to provide some basis for comparing the projections given in this
report. Table 6-3 has been prepared with estimates from the State. This
table presents approximations of water depletions for the portion of the
Green River Basin within the SWWQPA 208 area. Because the data base has been
developed by basin, not by county, some conjecture was necessary to complete
the comparison shown on the table, especially for the "Other" and the "Reser-
voir Evaporation" categories. The only major difference between the State's
projections and those developed for SWWQPA are for transbasin diversions.
6-5
-------
Table 6-3
WATER DEPLETIONS FOR THF PORTION OF THE GREEN RIVER
BASIN IN THE SWWQPA 208 AREA
(In acre-feet/year)
State of
SWWQPA Wyoming
Energy Export Coal Export
Industrial 174,300 103,800 168,800
Agricultural 114,000 1 14,000 114,000
Municipal 13,270 8,110 20,000
Other 23,300 23,300 23,300
Reservoir
Evaporation 73,000 73,000 73,300
T ransbasin
Diversion - - 92,000
TOTALS 397,870 322,210 461, 100
6-6
-------
Green River Model
Because of the importance of the Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir and
because of the likelihood of greatly increased development in the Green River
Basin, a computerized simulation model was developed for making predictions
of future water quality conditions in Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
A simulation model is a way of mathematically describing the various inflows
and constituent levels that happen in those river systems over the course of
an annual cycle. In the model, there are provisions for making changes in
the quantity and quality of waters that enter the modeled area in order to
test for various conditions other than those that existed in the past. The
Green River model has been calibrated, which means that the mathematical
expression used to describe conditions there has been adjusted specifically
to account for known conditions in the Green River system. Thus, the model
is not a generalized model but is one specific to the Green River and Flaming
Gorge Reservoir. The model is based on the U.S? Army Corps of Engineers
model, Water Quality for River-Reservoir Systems. It has been fully described
in a separate report (CH2M HILL, June 1977) . The model is set up to account
for the following list of constituents: temperature, dissolved oxygen, BOD,
alkalinity, pH, carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus, coliform
organisms, two forms of algae, zooplankton, detritus, total dissolved solids
(TDS), sediments, and sulfate.
The model has been used in this report to predict future conditions for
phosphate, algae, TDS, and sulfate. Runs have been made by the Water Resources
Research Institute at the University of Wyoming to test six conditions—year
1975 conditions, 1975 conditions with phosphate controls, 2000 conditions
without phosphorus controls under the two development scenarios, 2000 condi-
tions with phosphate controls under the two scenarios, diversion of Big Sandy
River, and diversion of Bitter Creek. The output data describe conditions at
two points in the Green River, one at 1.7 miles below the confluence of
Bitter Creek and the Green River and the other one in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
The single point in the reservoir describes average conditions throughout the
reservoir. As noted in Chapter 3, the two arms are considerably more eutrophic
than the main body of the reservoir. Therefore, the location in the reservoir
which would most closely correspond to the modeling point would be somewhere
near the confluence of the two arms and the main body.
The model was calibrated for 1972 because that was the most coherent set of
data available at the time the model was developed. Since that time, better
data have become available for 1975 and 1976. The data that were available
upon which to develop the model were not entirely adequate, and the report
mentioned above strongly recommends that the model be recalibrated at some
future period when a much better data set is available.
Model runs were made in this study for phosphorus and TDS with the better
1975 data in order to determine if the model, calibrated for 1972, could
accurately predict 1975 conditions if 1975 data were used. Results from the
1975 runs are illustrated on Figures 6-7 and 6-8, where Figure 6-7 describes
TDS levels and Figure 6-8 describes phosphorus levels in the Big Island reach
of the Green River. In the two figures, the results from the model runs are
compared to levels of TDS and phosphorus measured in the reach in 1975. The
6-7
-------
S60
480
400
~ 320
V
o
X
W 240
O
h
160
80
A
A
/
/
/ /
V-.—
W^\
1/
r\
v
\—v
APRIL
MAY
JUNE JULY
FIGURE 6-7
1975 TDS
BIG ISLAND
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
MODEL — —
(MILE 115)
US6S - ¦¦ ¦¦
(MILE 116.4)
CH2M
•"HILL
-------
43
32
J
\
19
£
~ 24
0.
I
¦*
o 16
0.
1
,
/
j
i
/Nw
/K
/ / \
1
i
1
/
i
t
i /
J
¦/ ^
f
\
—\
, \
\ \
1 /
s/
\ \
\ \
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
FIGURE 6-8
1975 PO/j-P
BIG ISLAND
MODEL
(MILE IIS)
USGS ¦
(MILE 116.4)
CH2M
¦8 HILL
-------
model adequately simulates TDS conditions during the period illustrated.
While the simulation for phosphorus is not as close as that for TDS, a reason-
able match is seen for the period from late May through early September. The
reasons for the variation between simulated values and observed values are
unknown at the present time.
The results from the computer runs are presented in the following two sections.
The results include future instream loads of TDS and phosphorus in the Green
River below Bitter Creek, concentrations of TDS and sulfate at that point in
the river, and concentrations of phosphorus and algae in Flaming Corge Reservoir.
FUTURE TDS AND SULFATE LEVELS
Future TDS loads are shown on Figure 6-9 at the point 1.7 miles below Bitter
Creek for the two development scenarios and for a Big Sandy River diversion.
The Big Sandy diversion produces a 25 percent decrease in TDS loadings. A
5 percent decrease in salinity loads is predicted under the coal and energy
export scenarios. This latter result is based on the present conditions
under which water diverted by industry and ponded in holding or evaporation
basins does not return to the Green River through the ground water system.
As discussed earlier, existing industrial ponds are apparently not in the
recharge areas to surface waters. If future industrial ponds are constructed
in ground wa^er recharge areas, however, ground water may carry significant
TDS loads back to the surface waters. In this case, the model would greatly
underestimate the impact of energy development on salinity.
Figure 6-10 shows that industrial depletions are predicted to have a small
effect on TDS concentrations in the Green River below Bitter Creek. The
increase in the maximum TDS concentration under the energy export scenarios
is 5 percent over the maximum simulated 1975 value. The TDS concentrations
under the coal export scenario lie between those for the energy export scenario
and 1975 levels. The reason for the insignificant increase is that largest
projected industrial depletions from the Green River are located in the
stretch between Big Sandy River and Bitter Creek. This stretch has the
highest TDS concentrations of any Green River stretch in the area. Therefore,
industrial depletions from this stretch would not cause a concentration of
the salt load downstream.
As shown on Figure 6-10, diversion of Big Sandy River would have a major
impact on TDS concentrations in the Green River, particularly during the
periods of highest TDS concentrations. The diversion of Big Sandy is predicted
to result in a 43 percent decrease in the maximum TDS concentrations from the
simulated maximum 1975 levels.
Sulfate was also modeled because of its health-related impacts in the Rock
Springs-Green River area and because of its economic impacts to industries.
The results are presented on Figure 6-11. As was found with TDS concentrations,
energy development is predicted to have little effect on sulfate concentrations
in the Green River below Bitter Creek. However, diversion of Big Sandy River
is predicted to decrease the sulfate concentration by 57 percent from the
maximum concentration in the 1975 simulation run. Although diversion of Big
6-10
-------
Sandy River may be economically and technologically feasible, it is not
considered further in this report because of the legal and political hurdles
which appear insurmountable at this time.
FUTURE PHOSPHORUS AND ALGAE LEVELS
Figure 6-12 shows the predicted phosphorus loads in the Green River below
Bitter Creek under six different scenarios of future conditions. Large
increases in phosphorus loads are predicted under both the coal export and
energy export scenarios unless point source controls on phosphorus are insti-
tuted. The reason for these increases is the large population growth and
increased wastewater loadings associated with the energy development. With
point source controls, the phosphorus loads can be brought back to approximately
existing levels.
Figure 6-12 also shows that diversions of Big Sandy River or Bitter Creek can
reduce phosphorus loads from their predicted levels in year 2000. Diversion
of Big Sandy River and Bitter Creek would result in a 49 percent reduction
and a 71 percent reduction, respectively, in the phosphorus loads within the
framework of the energy export scenario. The load reduction by diversion of
Bitter Creek would be nearly equal to that obtainable by phosphorus control
of point sources. This option to point source control may be economically
and technologically feasible. However, it also is not considered further in
this report because of the apparent legal and political impasses at this
time.
The effects on the reservoir of the higher phosphorus loadings are indicated
on Figure 6-13 for the coal export scenario and on Figure 6-14 for the energy
export scenario. These figures show the predicted average concentration in
2000 over the entire reservoir at a depth of 10 feet. The simulated 1975
results are valuable for comparison to the predictions.
As shown on the two figures, peak phosphorus concentrations in the reservoir
are shown to increase significantly under both scenarios. The increase in
the maximum concentration is 11 percent under the coal export scenario and
20 percent under the energy export scenario. According to the simulation
runs, the phosphorus increases will cause the algal concentrations during the
severest bloom to increase by 14 percent under the coal export scenario and
by 21 percent under the energy export scenario. Algal concentrations are
predicted to increase by even larger percentages during smaller blooms in May
and June under both scenarios.
The two figures also show that point source controls on phosphorus can lower
phosphorus concentrations predicted in the reservoir for 2000 down to the
existing (1975) levels. However, the existing conditions in the reservoir
are not considered desirable for recreational use. Therefore, point source
controls alone cannot produce desirable conditions in the reservoir.
CHANGES IN OTHER POLLUTANTS
A qualitative analysis has been made of the expected changes in pollutants
other than phosphorus and TDS. Fecal coliform and ammonia may increase in
6-11
-------
the river reaches below Rock Springs, the Town of Green River, Kemmerer, and
the Bridger Valley because of greater loads from septic tanks and wastewater
treatment levels. Metal concentrations may increase in areas where erosion
has increased because of construction or channelization. At this time, it is
difficult to predict where these activities may occur. Finally, dissolved
oxygen levels may drop in reservoirs because of more severe eutrophication
and in streams because of greater effluent loads from Rock Springs, the Town
of Green River, Kemmerer, Evanston, and the Bridger Valley.
6-12
-------
mwuuei
COAL RESERVES
FIGURE 6-1
COAL RESERVES
tCALK IN MILII
cm
SSIIIl
-------
FIGURE 6-2
TRONA AND OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
N
10 0 10 »o »o *o
•CALK IN MILM
rffrn .
CH2A/
IIHILI
-------
OIL AND GAS FIELDS
/
n * mat 6 org*
for
FIGURE 6-5
OIL AND GAS FIELDS
(FROM U.S.G.S. OIL AND GAS FIELDS)
mraaima
OOtalAM
CH2M
¦5 Hill
-------
- ma.
18,200 AF/YR
3
6,772 AF/YR
154 AF/YR
4,617 AF/YR
646 AF/YR
P* JrSt
v- fp^!
L:/t
A»)|
—-sr-^
30,000 AF/YR
FIGURE 6-1
PRESENT INDUSTRIAL
WATER DEPLETIONS
c
li
it
•*£3££[xaL..
-------
\
1
j
V W
< vr
' C
-------
E
FIGURE 6-6
INDUSTRIAL WATER DEPLETIONS
ENERGY EXPORT YEAR 2000
10
10 10 ~>0 40
tCALI IN MILCt
(1) STATE WATER PLANNING FEELS THIS HAY COME FROM THE GREEN RIVER AREA
(2),(3) COULD BE MOVED TO THE AREA NEAR THE STATE LINE
v
\*-f !
22,500 AF/YR
^L
)—W? , 50
777
500 AF/YR
|;1jia,aoo af/yr
S 30,000 AF/YR
/ I
^ \ I
-------
2500
2000
>
<
O
E
UJ
0.
V)
z
o
1 500-
o
<
o
V)
o
1000-
500
1975
COAL
EXPORT
SCENARIO
ENERGY
EXPORT
SCENARIO
DIVERSION
OF BIG
SANDY RIVER
FIGURE 6-9
FUTURE TDS LOADS
CH2M
« HILL
-------
1975 SIMULATED CONDITIONS
ENERGY EXPORT SCENARIO
BIG SANDY DIVERSION
600
_)
v
is
2
W
z
o
~-<
I-
<
or
z
LD
O
z
o
u
W
o
l-
500
400
300
200
100
\
fr
Er—
\ n
MAY
JUN
JUL
Aug
SEP
OCT
FIGURE 6-10
FUTURE TDS
CONCENTRATIONS
-------
1975 SIMULATED CONDITIONS
ENERGY EXPORT SCENARIO
BIG SANDY DIVERSION
250
-I
S
45
Z
(A
z
o
•"4
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>-
<
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to
z>
C£
o
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u>
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a
0.2
1975
SIMULATED
CONDITIONS
COAL EXPORT
YEAR 2000
ENERGY EXPORT
YEAR 2000
DIVERSION
YEAR 2000
tf/o
POINT
SOURCE
CONTROLS
¥/
POINT
SOURCE
W/0
POINT
SOURCE
CONTROLS CONTROLS
W/
POINT
SOURCE
CONTROLS
BIG
SANDY
RIVER
BITTER
CREEK
FIGURE 6-12
FUTURE PHOSPHORUS LOADS
CH2M
¦SI 111 1
-------
SIMULATED 1975 CONDITIONS
YEAR 2000 WITHOUT POINT SOURCE CONTROLS
YEAR 2000 WITH POINT SOURCE CONTROLS
100
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
FIGURE 6-13
AVERAGE PHOSPHORUS
CONCENTRATIONS IN
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
UNDER THE
COAL EXPORT SCENARIO
CH2M
K HILL
-------
SIMULATED
YEAR 2000
YEAR 2000
1975 CONDITIONS
WITHOUT POINT SOURCE CONTROLS
WITH POINT SOURCE CONTROLS
100
90
30
Q.
<
70*
60
(0
D
a.
~
X
Q.
-------
-------
Chapter 7
EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
A 208 Plan must consider the management as well as technical factors needed
to maintain or improve water quality. Management factors entail the in-
stitutional framework for implementing the technical plan. The institutional
framework identifies who will carry out, manage, enforce, fund, and monitor
the water quality controls. "Institutions" as used in 208 planning mean the
agencies, both public and private, that may have a role in implementing the
208 Ran as well as the legal structure or basis upon which these agencies
can act.
'h U.S. EPA's Guidelines for Areawide Waste Treatment Management Planning
(August 1975), it is emphasized that management planning ".. .should be conducted
concurrently and in coordination with technical planning. Management planning
should identify water quality management problems and analyze the capability
°f existing agencies and arrangements to carry out the regulatory and manage-
ment requirements of Section 208. Institutional problems, lack of authority,
°i" lack of financial capacity for meeting Section 208 requirements should be
identified."
This chapter describes the capabilities that agencies must have within the
context of 208 planning and identifies the agencies now present that have
those capabilities. This information is summarized on Table 7-1. This table
identifies six specific management capabilities or functions that are required
to implement a control program. Each management agency may be responsible
for one or more of these functions. The currently responsible agencies are
a|so identifed on Table 7-1 according to 10 different pollution sources or
Pollution control areas.
'•"> specific cases, the lines of authority and responsibility may not be as
clearly defined as might be implied by the simplified listings on Table 7-1.
As an example, responsibility for regulation and control of individual resi-
dential sewage is now being worked out between the State, DEQ and the counties
and cities. DEQ has offered this responsibility to the counties, but the
counties have generally turned down the offer because of lack of funding
deeded to carry out the responsibility. In the case of urban runoff, very
little is actually being done at the present time, and virtually nothing is
being done from a water quality standpoint. On the other hand, there is much
activity with regard to municipal sewage sources contributing to stream
salinity and sediments and water quantity management. Because these sources
°r activities have traditionally been considered important, they have the
most clear cut definitions of responsibilities and authorities at this time.
A major function of 208 planning is to clarify the lines of authority associated
w'th water quality and to pull together the independent activities of the
various responsible agencies so that all are heading in the same direction to
accomplish the same basic purpose.
The remainder of this chapter describes the various agencies now involved
directly or indirectly in water quality management in the Southwestern Wyoming
7-1
-------
Table 7-t
EXISTING AGENCIES BY MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS AND POLLUTION SOURCES
Source Type or Activity
Municipal Sewage
Industrial Wastewater
(Fuel and Noofuel Min-
erals. B.isic Industry,
Electric Generation)
Individual Residential
Sewage
Discharge* From Agri-
cultural Lands
Urban Runoff (Cities
Over MOO Population)
Rural Runoff (Towns Less
Than SOQO Population)
Silviculture Runoff
(Mostly Public Lands)
Grating Land Runoff
(From Public Lands)
Environmental Salinity
and Sediments
Recreational Area
Wastewaters
Local Government
and DEO. SWWQPA
Individual. SWWQPA
Individual. SWWQPA
•Individual. With
Assistance of LCD.
FMHA and SCS .
SWWQPA
Local, SWWQPA
Finance
EPA, DEQ. Local
Individual
(5)
Administer,
Oversee
Activities
Local*51
WPSC, DEQ
Regulate.
Fnforce,
Monitor
DEQ
DEQ. WPSC
(n
City, County, DEQ
•Individual -WCC, *lndividuaU\uh LCD
FMHA. SCS1H\ ASCS Assistance ,,, WCC.
Local
FMHA.SCSV
Local
•State or County
Highway Department
SWWQPA
<3)
•State or County *State or County ...
Highway Department ' Highway Department
FS. SWWQPA. BLM, SF FS. BLM. SF
BLM,SWWQPA
Inter.i&r, BR. SWWQPA, Interior, EPA, BR,
SCSUI. BLM SCS^ 1, ASCS. BLM
NPS. FS, WRC. SWWQPA,
City, County
Water Quantity Management SE. SWWQPA. COE
NPS. FS. WRC. City,
County
State Legislature,
COE, County
FS, BLM. SF
BLM
interior, EPA, BR,
BUI
MPS, FS. WRC. City.
County
City, County, DEQ
DHSS
(Water Quality
Impacts) DEO, WCC
DEO
DEQ
FS, DEQ, BLM, SF
BLM, DEQ
Interior, EPA. BR,
SCS, DEQ, BLM
Cnnttrurt Facili-
ties. Fivtct Liws or
Orrtin.Mtc<*s, or
Oevrlw Rv^nuSatlon*
individual
•Individual!^ LCD
Assistance1 . WCC.
SCSm
Oner ate FaclWlgj
SE, COE
DEQ
SE, OEQ, USCS
Local
•State or County ...
Highway Department"'
FS, Operators, BLM. SF
BLM..Grazers
Inter.jpr, EPA, BR,
SCS , BLM
NPS, FS, WRC, City,
County
COE. OEPAD
Legislature
(«)
Individual
Individual
Local
•State or County
Highycw Depa""
roentl,r
FS. Operators,
BLM. SF
BLM. Cra»«*«
Interior, BR*
BLM
NPS. FS. WRC.
City. County
16)
COE, DEPAD
Abbreviations:
SWWQPA
LCD
WCC
DHSS
WRC
OEPAD
SF
SE
DEQ
WPSC
COE
EPA
FMHA
SCS
FS
ASCS
BLM
BR
NPS
USCS
Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association
Local Conservation Districts
Wyoming Conservation Commission
Wyoming Department of Health and Social Services
Wyoming Recreation Commission
Wyoming Department of Economic Planning and Development
Wyoming State Forester
Wyoming State Engineer
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
Wyoming Plant Siting Council
U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmers Home Administration
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sm'l Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
U.S. Department of the Interior, Rureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service
U.S. Geological Survey
* These items include changes from what is now done.
(t) Decisions are currently being made on the subject of who is to have jurisdiction.
(2) These arrangements are now available on a voluntary basis.
(3) Highway departments are now active in quantity control, associated with their roadway responsibilities.
(41 RC&O and small watershed pfoirams.
(5) Includes special districts and joint powers entities as local government.
(t) Only if specifically authorized by State legislature.
(7) Technical assistance programs.
7-2
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area. Local as well as State and Federal agencies are discussed. Numerous
other agencies, such as the State Highway Department and the State Depart-
ments of Public Lands, Forestry, and Land Use Administration, are not discussed
in this chapter because they do not have nor are they expected to have major
roles in water quality management in the future. Some of these agencies may
be involved in water quality, but they are not expected to have an important
Part in this particular plan.
AUTHORITIES AT LOCAL LEVEL
Local Government
Local government is defined here as including towns and cities, as well as
special districts and entities formed under joint powers agreements. These
agencies usually operate the wastewater collection and treatment facilities
for municipal sewage. The cities and towns are also responsible for urban
runoff.
Local governments have broad powers to act within their jurisdiction, but
usually rely on the State or Federal government to do broad planning and such
functions as setting water quality goals or effluent requirements. The
cities and towns can also act to require septic tank standards and offer
nonstructural controls.
•Jurisdiction is not limited to the corporate boundary. For example, munici-
palities can have jurisdiction within 5 miles of the corporate limits for
enforcement of health or quarantine ordinances, and within 1/2 mile for all
matters except taxation. This authority is granted under W.S. 15.1-171. It
allows municipalities to be involved in sewage system planning outside its
limits in order to better plan and manage how sewage collection is to be done
'n the areas immediately surrounding the city and to better plan for such
concerns as treatment capacity. Rock Springs has already taken this authority
in its area.
County Government
Ordinances that regulate installation of individual waste disposal systems,
that regulate where and how certain development can take place, and that
establish special water and sewer districts are all part of county authority.
The county government can also establish needed funding for such activities
through fees or taxation.
The county government in a growing area plays a potentially strong role in
shaping the future because so much of the growth is likely to happen in
unincorporated areas subject to possible annexation later.
Joint Powers Boards
Wyoming statutes provide that municipalities, counties, special districts,
and other agencies can perform the same actions jointly that any one agency
can do separately. Two municipalities, for example, could form a joint
Powers board to build a sewage treatment plant or collection system. A
7-3
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county and municipality could assume the same powers as a county and special
district or a municipality and special district. Through such joint powers
boards, facilities could be extended from a municipality to the surrounding
area, without the need for annexation.
The Wyoming Joint Powers Act is just now coming into use in the study area,
but more use is expected in the future. These provisions are a logical
combination with the extraterritorial jurisdiction powers available to first
class cities and provide extension of some of the extraterritorial benefits
to municipalities other than first class cities, even to unincorporated
areas.
AUTHORITIES AT REGIONAL LEVEL
The Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association (SWWQPA) is the
key regional agency. At this time the single purpose of SWWQPA is to conduct
the planning program to develop a 208 Plan. However, it can serve in a
capacity as a regional management agency in the future.
AUTHORITIES AT STATE LEVEL
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
According to information from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
and the State Attorney General's office, the Act enabling and establishing
Wyoming DEQ provides a very broad authority for this agency to act in matters
of water quality management and wastewater treatment. The Environmental
Quality Council is a council of citizens who are appointed politically and
who serve 4-year terms. Thus the Council in association with DEQ can provide
both the broad base of popular citizen support as well as the already estab-
lished legal authority to act.
Important activities for DEQ are operating the permit program under the
NPDES, administering the grant program for municipal treatment facilities,
maintaining facility operation, certifying treatment plant operators, and
developing the State's water quality standards. This agency also monitors
water quality conditions in the State and administers the public water supply
program.
Any procedure or regulation adopted by DEQ is subject to judicial review and
so is not necessarily final by a unilateral decision of DEQ. In the enabling
act there are savings clauses that exempt the activities of the State Engineer
from being within the authority of DEQ. These activities include water
quantity management, activities associated with wells for oil and gas explora-
tion, and activities associated with wells for minerals.
The authority of DEQ is not limited to point sources or surface streams. The
agency can also be responsible for nonpoint sources and ground water .
DEQ has jurisdiction over the entire State, and its enforcement actions can
be filed in either Laramie County or the county in which the problem arises.
Laramie County is usually used for filing actions, because the judges there
7-H
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are familiar with the kinds of actions under DEQ's jurisdiction. If a city
or county were to bring action, it would be heard in a District Court, unless
the action was considered a misdemeanor (which has a fine less than $100) .
All injunctions have District Court venue. The advantage to having the State
act in these matters is the State does not have to post bond to bring injunc-
tions, whereas private individuals do.
The State Engineer
The State Engineer is primarily responsible for water quantity management.
Questions concerning water rights and the distribution in time and space of
the surface waters of the State are the responsibility of the State Engineer.
The State Engineer also has authority to act in matters of water quality, but
apparently has not used the authority and is not likely to because of the
presence of DEQ. One possible water quality issue that may involve the State
Engineer concerns sediments and salinity, because the management and control
of water diversions can affect the impact of these constituents on quality.
Thus, management plans for sediments and salinity may include action by the
State Engineer. The State Engineer also would be involved in at least an
advisory capacity in interstate salinity compacts, which may have the effect
of restricting Wyoming's full development of compact water.
The State Engineer has responsibility over the development of ground water.
However, the State Department of Health and Social Services is involved in
regulation of ground water quality for domestic or public water supplies, and
the State Land Commission is involved in reclamation.
Wyoming Department of Agriculture
One of the prime activities of the State Department of Agriculture (SDA) is
to work with individual farmers through the local conservation districts.
Within the Southwestern Wyoming 208 planning area, there are four local
conservation districts and parts of two others. Districts 3 and 7 are located
>n Lincoln County; District 35 is primarily in Uinta County; District 45 is
Primarily in Sweetwater County; and portions of Districts 7, 16, and 39 are
also in Sweetwater County. Districts 3, 7, 35, and 45 are all within the
Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts Area 5. The conservation
districts are considered to be an arm of State government and are operated
through the State Conservation Commission as part of SDA.
At the present time the main function of these districts is to carry out a
district-wide conservation program directed at solving soil, water, and
related resources questions. Districts utilize cooperative agreements with
individual land users and units of government to provide technical assistance
for conservation planning and application on individual land holdings. The
agreements are voluntary; the land user agrees to plan, apply, and maintain
appropriate conservation treatment measures with the technical assistance of
the districts.
People interviewed from the districts and from SDA feel that the cooperative
agreement vehicle is most appropriate for regulation of both discharges from
agricultural lands as well as rural runoff from the smaller communities in
7-5
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these rural areas. However, it is possible to make the cooperative agreement
a mandatory requirement rather than a voluntary act. The local districts
could play a major role in implementing such a plan.
The Wyoming Interdepartmental Water Conference
In 1973 the State Legislature passed a law formalizing and providing for
guidance of the Interdepartmental Water Conference (IDWC) in the planning of
water and related land resources. This law also provides guidance for adoption
and approval of water and related land resources plans. Members of the IDWC
are the Governor, the State Engineer (who serves as the chairman), the Attorney
General's office, the State Department of Agriculture, the Department of
Economic Planning and Development, the Department of Environmental Quality,
the Game and Fish Commission, the Geological Survey of Wyoming", the Wyoming
Highway Department, the Wyoming Recreation Commission, the Agricultural
Extension Service of the University of Wyoming, the Director of the Wyoming
Water Resources Research Institute, and the State Land Commission. Most of
these agencies, if not all, will play important roles in carrying out water
quality management under Section 208. As a result, the IDWC could be a very
effective foca! point at the State level for providing some 208 or related
functions, especially as a coordinating agency.
Wyoming Plant Siting Council
Facilities that fall under the Plant Siting Act of Wyoming include synthetic
fuel conversion plants, such as those for oil shale or coal gasification.
Other types of facilities involved are electrical generating facilities,
yellowcake refining, and, in general, any plant costing more than $50 million
to build. One requirement for plant siting is to consider water quality
effects of the construction. DEQ can recommend certain water quality conditions
be included in the industrial siting permit, but the State Engineer's final
opinion is binding on the Plant Siting Council for the purposes of issuing an
industrial siting permit. The administration of the Plant Siting Act takes
place through the Office of Industrial Siting Administration.
The Plant Siting Act can be effective only on new sites, not on pre-existing
facilities. Pre-existing facilities do have to file annual reports on their
5-year plans for growth and development, however. These reports are required
to be kept confidential by the Plant Siting Council and can only be released
with the permission of the applicant. The information from these 5-year
planning reports is therefore not available to this study without specific
industry permission.
AUTHORITIES AT FEDERAL LEVEL
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency {EPA) grants funds to carry out 208
planning as well as treatment facility planning, design, and construction for
municipal types of operations. The role of EPA in the control of other
pollution source types can be quite inclusive and is generally carried out
through permit type programs such as those in effect for industrial discharges
7-6
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and those being considered for agricultural discharges. EPA is, at the
Federal level, most important to water quality planning and management as a
catalyst to get other Federal, State and local agencies involved and acting.
Farmers Home Administration
Programs of the Farmers Home Administration (FMHA) have traditionally been
oriented toward the rural portions of America. They provide credit for
specific types of farmers who cannot get the financing they need at reasonable
rates and terms elsewhere. The objective of the loans is to encourage and
facilitate the improvement, protection, and proper use of farmland.
Soil Conservation Service
The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has
traditionally played a role of providing technical assistance to land users
in carrying out locally adopted soil and water conservation programs. SCS^
Works through local conservation districts to provide planning and application
assistance for implementing programs, as for example under the cooperative
agreements mentioned earlier.
Funds are available on a cost-share basis for watershed protection, flood
prevention, erosion control, and public water-based recreation. Funds are
authorized under the Watershed and Flood Prevention Act (PL-566) and the
Resource Conservation and Development Program.
Forest Service
There are very little forest and timber activities within the planning area.
Most of these activities are now on public lands. The Forest Service is
responsible for administering good conservation practices related to timber
operations. DEQ, by monitoring water quality, can determine when there are
impacts from timber activities on water quality which should be addressed by
the Forest Service.
The Forest Service is now carrying out a barometer watershed project in the
drainages of Gilbert Creek, East Fork, and Smiths Fork to extensively monitor
a watershed prior to any lumbering activity so that when harvests are carried
out the impacts can be compared with a baseline condition. This information
will be useful for predicting impacts of future lumbering activities in
similar areas.
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages all of the National Resource
Lands in the study area. It is responsible for the proper management of
these lands, which includes consideration of water quality impacts as well as
soil conservation and other features. The Bureau establishes regulations and
issues use authorizations (licenses, permits, grants, leases, etc.) to National
Resource Land users. It also constructs and maintains improvements and
facilities on the National Resource Lands.
7-7
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Bureau of Reclamation
The development of water resources for use in irrigation and other activities
is the primary responsibility of the Bureau of Reclamation. Some of the
Bureau's projects within the study area are the Lyman project, the Seedskadee
project, the Flaming Gorge project, the Eden project, and the Sublette and
Big Sandy investigations. Fontenelle Reservoir is part of the Seedskadee
project. Thus, the impact of Bureau of Reclamation activities may be wide-
spread in terms of both existing and future water quality situations.
A new program of the Bureau of Reclamation is management of recreational
facilities at various reservoirs in the area. Fontenelle Reservoir was the
Bureau's first attempt in the nation to implement the new program. This
activity started 4 years ago when the National Park Service wanted to drop
its responsibility at Fontenelle. Bureau personnel expect the program to
expand. They point out that there was no sports fishery in the Green River
before Fontenelle Dam was built.
Youth Conservation Corps camps are to be part of this recreation program, and
activities at these camps could be directed toward streamside management. In
addition, the Bureau has the potential as a public education tool through
installation of interpretative centers at the various recreational sites that
it manages.
United States Geological Survey
The primary role of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is to collect
and file data. This agency does not promulgate or enforce standards of any
kinds nor does it take on responsibility for any management or abatement
actions relating to water quality. It does perform surveys and studies of
water quality and quantity situations, presumably at the request and direction
of appropriate Federal or State agencies.
Corps of Engineers
The Corps is mainly involved in flood control projects, but may also be
concerned with streambank salinity problems. Indirectly, then, its activities
can relate to water quality issues.
The Corps is responsible for Section 404 of PL 92-500. This section calls
for dredge and fill permits, which are administered by the Corps. Thus,
anyone seeking to change stream courses must go through the Corps of Engineers
for a permit. These permits may also apply to various agricultural activities.
DEQ must also certify "404" permits in the State of Wyoming.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITIES REQUIRED OF MANAGEMENT AGENCIES UNDER 208
The management plan must develop a management system capable of implementing
the areawide 208 Plan. The management system requires the following basic
capabilities in order to be feasible, reliable, and implementable:
(1) Information pertaining to required legal authorities was drawn from ma-
terial prepared by Linton and Company, Inc., for the Toledo, Ohio, area
208 program.
7-8
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¦ Adequate legal authority to carry out the actions required
¦ Institutional capability based on a practicable, effective, and
coordinated institutional structure
¦ Financial capabilities appropriate to the water quality needs and
the specific plans produced in the technical section of the 208
study
These capabilities rest on certain authorities. The specific authorities
required are dependent upon the particular role carried out by a specific
agency, but in general a list of required authorities can be completed that
relate to 208-type activities. This list of 31 types of authority is given
on Table 7-2 according to the six major functions identified earlier for
implementing a 208 Plan. These authorities are required by Section 208(b) (2)
and 208(c) (2) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
(PL 92-500). Other sections of the same act may also call for the same
authority or functions.
In addition to the six major functions and associated required authorities,
management agencies should also be set up for particular roles in terms of
(1) their geographical jurisdiction or the means to acquire such jurisdiction
over applicable portions of the waste treatment management area and (2) their
accountability to the electorate. All these factors are important in evaluating
the feasibility of a proposed management structure for implementing a 208
plan.
Table 7-3 indicates what legal authorities are associated with the agencies
mentioned earlier.
CONCLUSIONS
Numerous agencies are involved with all aspects of water quality management,
though not necessarily in a coherent way. Sufficient agency coverage may
well exist, then, to implement the various actions this 208 plan will call
for. Specific agency assignments for specific control actions will be dis-
cussed in Chapters 8, 9, and 10. Chapter 11 gives the same information for
the recommended plan.
7-9
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Table 7-2
AUTHORITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM 208 MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS
Plan
Finance
Administer,
Oversee
Activities
Regulate,
Enforce,
Monitor
Construct,
Enact
Operate
j. Spend money to construct
and manage treatment
plants
X
X
X
X
2.
Contract work to others
X
X
X
X
X
X
3.
Employ people
X
X
X
X
X
X
a.
Insure facilities
X
X
s.
Acquire, hold, or dis-
pose of real property
X
X
6.
Engage in research
X
X
X
X
7.
Receive or accept money
X
X
X
X
X
X
8. Make loans or grants
X
X
9.
Contract with State or
Federal agencies
X
X
X
X
10.
Assess users for treat-
ment costs
X
X
X
X
11.
Enter industrial cost
recovery contract
X
X
X
X
12.
Reassign unused industrial
discharge rights
X
X
13.
Monitor treatment
operations
X
X
X
14.
Issue general
obligation bonds
X
15.
Issue revenue bonds
X
16.
Issue anticipatory bonds
X
-
17.
Issue anticipatory notes
X
18.
Invest money elswhere
X
X
19.
Contract for private
financing
X
X
X
20.
Require local agencies or
industries to participate
X
X
X
21.
Charge participants
X
X
X
22.
Refuse service non-compliance
with plan
'
X
X
23.
Disallow expansion for
plan non-compliance
i ¦
X
X
24.
Impose other sanctions for
plan non-compliance
X
X
X
X
25.
Refuse industrial wastes
not meeting requirements
X
X
26.
Condemn land for public use
X
X
27.
Develop and/or impose land
use controls
X
X
28.
Promulgate pretreatment
and effluent standards
X
X
X
X
29.
Issue permits, as a pre-
condition to treatment
X
X
X
30.
Enforce rules, punish
violators
X
X
X
X
31.
Engage in planning beyond
land use
X
X
7-10
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TABLE --3
AGENCY AUTHORITIES
AGENCIES'1 »
SPEND MONEY TO CONSTRUCT
AND MANAGE TREATMENT
PLANTS
CONTRACT WORK TO OTHERS
EMPLOY PEOPLE
1.
.2.
26.
Vf7
INSURE FACILITIES
REQUIRE OR HOLD PROPERTY
ENGAGE IN RESEARCH
RECEIVE OR ACCEPT MONEY
MAKE LOANS OR GRANTS
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
.0.
CONTRACT WITH STATE OR
FEDERAL AGENCIES
ASSESS USERS FOR TREAT-
MENT COSTS j
ENTER INDUSTRIAL COST
RECOVERY CONTRACT
REASSIGN UNUSED INDUSTRIAL
DISCHARGE RIGHTS
MONITOR TREATMENT
OPERATIONS
ISSUE GENERAL
OBLIGATION BONDS
ISSUE REVENUE BONDS
ISSUE ANTICIPATORY BONDS
ISSUE ANTICIPATORY NOTES
INVEST MONEY ELSEWHERE
CONTRACT FOR PRIVATE
FINANCING
REQUIRE LOCAL AGENCIES OR
INDUSTRIES TO PARTICIPATE
CHARGE PARTICIPANTS
REFUSE SERVICE FOR PLAN
NON-COMPLIANCE
3 DISALLOW EXPANSION FOR
PLAN NON-COMPLIANCE
,a "IMPOSE OTHER SANCTIONS FOR
" " PLAN NON-COMPLIANCE
>5 REFUSE INDUSTRIAL WASTES
NOT MEETING REQUIREMENTS
CONDEMN LAND FOR PUBLIC USI
DEVELOP AND/OR IMPOSE LAND
USE CONTROLS
28.
29.
30.
31.
(II
PROMULGATE PRETREATMENT
AND EFFLUENT standards
ISSUE PERMITS AS A PRE-
CONDITION TO TREATMENT
ENFORCE RULES. PUNISH
VIOLATORS
ENCAGE IN PLANNING BEYOND
LAND USE
ALU ASENCY ABBREVIATIONS ARE IDENTIFIED ON TABLE 7-1,
EXCEPT FOR IOWC (INTERDEPARTMENTAL WATER CONFERENCE)
AND CRCF (COLORADD RIVER SALINITY CONTROL FORUM).
federal.
OTHER
LE&end
• AUTHORITY EXP*
<
0.
o
JE
*
10
COUNTIES
a:
$
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Chapter 8
CONTROLS FOR SALINITY
Water quality problems related to salinity were described in Chapter 3 and
Chapter 4. Figure 8-1 summarizes information from those chapters. It shows
the reaches where salinity can do one of the following: cause health problems
for people, livestock, or wildlife; cause large economic disbenefits to domestic
and industrial water users; or cause losses in crop production. Salinity
parameters causing use impairment are also shown for each reach. All the
reaches with potentially serious use impairment related to salinity are
located in the Green River Basin.
This chapter will describe eight management options that appear feasible for
the control of salinity. A recommended plan will be developed for the control
of salinity from the information contained in this chapter. This plan is
presented in Chapter 11.
CONTROL MEASURES FOR SALINITY
The options for the control of salinity are discussed in the material that
follows. A consistent format has been used in the presentation of each
option. The format includes a description of the control measure and the
problem towards which it is directed and, where appropriate, how effective
the option might be, its costs and benefits, who should carry it out, and
what its environmental and social impacts are.
The management options are listed on Table 8-1 in the order in which they
appear in this chapter. The order is not meant to imply any preference.
8-1
-------
iiMirai
IWj
!«.•••" H susat
«•«« c
lliH VM
Niiami
Kiel I
«fM n«n »•«
Imiitf'lMiiNtu Q
(MNtf Una 1
IMPAIRED REACH
DUE TO SALINITY
IA IUU
Ulll
LEGENO
IUU oill
iit
• It M«T
•m*
iim« (•!«
VMM
urn* (Mt<
IIIIU <•!!«
10*«*
A |M»*« J
•••*• M •••«« iM
FIGURE 8-1
REACHES WITH MAJOR
IMPAIRMENTS DUE TO SALINITY
-------
Table 8-1
SALINITY MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
1. The Big Sandy River Unit study.
2. Sprinkler irrigation in Bridger Valley.
3. Improvement of irrigation efficiencies in Bridger Valley
and Big Sandy area through better timing of irrigations.
4. Control of development in areas where salts can be
mobilized.
5. Salinity control in Sublette County.
6. Interception of ground water below Big Sandy Reservoir.
7. No action.
8. Salinity standards.
8-3
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OPTION 1
BIG SANDY RIVER UNIT STUDY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Big Sandy River Unit is one of the units to be studied under the Colorado
River Basin Salinity Control Program. The goal of this program is to maintain
1972 salinity levels in the Lower Colorado River Basin. The Big Sandy River
delivers concentrated salinity loads to the Lower Basin by way of the Green
River.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Assistance programs, research projects, and demonstration projects are presently
being carried out in the area by the following agencies: Bureau of Reclamation,
Soil Conservation Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of
Agriculture, Office of Water Resources Research, University of Wyoming. The
208 Plan supports the efforts of these agencies because many of the proposed
salinity control measures are likely to have favorable benefit-cost ratios
not only for the Colorado River Basin, but also for the study area.
The 208 Plan recommends that those salinity control options that pertain to
the Big Sandy area and that are included in the recommended plan in Chapter 11
be studied closely under the Colorado River Salinity Control Program. These
options include improved irrigation efficiencies, restricted drilling near
the contact zone between the Bridger and Wilkins Peak Formation, and intercep-
tion of ground water at Big Sandy Reservoir.
8-4
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OPTION 2
SPRINKLER IRRIGATION IN BRIDGER VALLEY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Salinity has been shown to be a costly water quality problem to water users
inside and outside the study area. Irrigation return flows are a major
contributor to the salinity loads generated within the study area. For
example, irrigation return flows from the Bridger Valley are estimated to
deliver 125,000 tons of salt per year to Blacks Fork. This loading is equal
to 38 percent of the total salinity load generated in the Blacks Fork drainage
basin.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The management action would involve a study of the feasibility of converting
irrigation in Bridger Valley from wild flooding to sprinklers. Bridqer
Valley has been selected because salt loads from irrigation return flows are
estimated to be very large, because the terrain and soils are better suited
for sprinkler irrigation in Bridger Valley than in the Eden-Farson area, and
because little study has been made of salinity controls in Bridger Valley.
The goal of the study should be a prediction of salinity reduction achievable
by a change in irrigation practice to sprinkler irrigation. Good information
is available on the costs and benefits to farmers of sprinkler irrigation
from the Wyoming Agricultural Extension Service and from experiences of
farmers in Star Valley, which is located in the study area along the Salt
River. However, data are not available for an accurate prediction of salinity
reduction from a conversion to sprinkler irrigation. Experiences in Riverton
and Star Valley indicate that efficiency of sprinkler irrigation is greater
than efficiency of wild flood irrigation and that salinity reductions in
irrigation return flows are likely.
Two types of studies may be initiated. The first would be a pilot project in
the Bridger Valley. The second would be a comparison of salinity loads in
the Salt River before and after irrigation was changed to sprinklers. Salinity
data exist before sprinkler irrigation, but salinity monitoring was abandoned
in the Salt River after sprinkler irrigation. Several years of monitoring
may indicate whether sprinkler irrigation has made any demonstrable changes
in salinity loads carried by the Salt River.
EXPECTED SALINITY REDUCTION
Rough estimates of salinity reductions achievable by conversion to sprinkler
irrigation in Bridger Valley are impressive. One reference (Wyoming Agricul-
tural Experiment Station, 1974) assumed a 75 percent irrigation efficiency
with sprinkler irrigation. The present irrigation efficiency at the Eden-Farson
project, where flood irrigation is used as in Bridger Valley, is 33 percent.
A second estimate of increased efficiencies with sprinkler irrigation was
made by comparing the amount of water applied to land in 1976 in the Eden-Farson
area and in the Riverton area where sprinkler irrigation is used. Approxi-
mately 25 percent less water was applied per acre at Riverton than at Eden-
8-5
-------
Farson. This analysis of increased irrigation efficiencies is tenuous, and
more effort should be made to do on-site studies necessary to develop reliable
estimates of water savings.
Salt load reductions can be calculated from the estimates of increased effi-
ciencies given above. If it is assumed that alfalfa crops in Bridger Valley
need 20 inches of water from irrigation, the amount of irrigation water
diverted but not used by the crop is decreased by 43-82 percent with a conver-
sion from wild flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation. The diverted water
which is not used by the crop is assumed to percolate through the soil and
rock and to pick up salts. According to the method used in Chapter 5 to
calculate salinity loads from irrigation return flows, a 43-82 percent
reduction in percolating water would produce a 43-82 percent reduction in the
salt loads carried by irrigation return flows. For Bridger Valley, this
reduction translates to 55,000-103,000 fewer tons of salt per year delivered
by irrigation return flows. This loading reduction constitutes a 17-31
percent reduction in salt loads carried by Blacks Fork to the Colorado River
system.
EXPECTED COST
The cost of the feasibility study is difficult to determine. A rough estimate
is $50,000 to $150,000.
The cost for conversion to sprinkler irrigation has been obtained from "Economic
Appraisal of Irrigation Systems for the Green River Basin, Wyoming." The
fixed costs for conversion are $12-27 per acre per year (in 1977 dollars) and
variable costs for conversion are $28-44 per acre per year. The total annual
cost for the Bridger Valley would be $2.6-4.7 million. These costs are borne
by the farmers unless State or Federal grants are involved.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Conversion to sprinklers is not likely to be a profitable venture for farmers
in Bridger Valley. The major benefit to farmers in Star Valley from the
conversion has been increased yields of crops to feed dairy herds. At present,
hay and alfalfa constitute most of the crops in Bridger Valley. Increased
yields of these crops in the Bridger Valley would produce relatively small
benefits because of their low market value. Therefore, unless farmers in
Bridger Valley convert to cash crops, they will realize few benefits by
converting from wild flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation. One reference
(Agricultural Experiment Station, 1974) estimated that the alfalfa stand
would have to yield 4.5 tons per acre before sprinkler irrigation would
become profitable for the farmer. Present alfalfa yields average 1.5 to 2
tons per acre.
Given the estimates of expected salinity reduction, the conversion would be
of great value to industry in the study area and to users of water from the
Lower Colorado River system. The benefits to industry in the study area are
estimated to range from $585,000 to $1,065,000 per year, with an average
annual benefit of $825,000. Benefits to users outside the study area are
estimated to range from $1.7 to $3.2 million per year, with an average annual
benefit of $2.5 million. The basis for making such estimates was given in
Chapter 4.
8-6
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The benefit-cost ratio for the study area is 0.12-0.41 . The benefit-cost
ratio including benefits to those outside the study area is 0.49-1.64.
Therefore, on the basis of benefits and costs, this option is not recommended
to be taken up by the State unless additional benefits can be gained by the
farmers by a change from forage crops to cash crops. The benefit-cost ratio
at the basinwide level may be greater than one, and therefore the option may
be worthy of further study by the Colorado River Salinity Control Forum.
WHO PAYS
If a feasibility study is initiated, it would probably be done under the
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project. Funding for the study itself
could come from the budget of the project. If a conversion to sprinkler
irrigation is determined to be feasible, the sprinkler systems could be
funded 75 percent by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project and
2 5 percent by local funds.
Several sources of funding are available at the local level. Water conserva-
tion districts are authorized to fix the price of water (WSA 41-91). The
districts could purchase the sprinkler systems and pay them off over time
through a charge for water from the Stateline Project. State loans are
available through the issuance of bonds by the Farm Loan Board or through the
Revolving Funds of the Department of Economic Planning and Development.
Other sources of loans include the Federal Land Bank and the Farmers Home
Administration. Cost-sharing arrangements are available to farmers through
the Great Plains Conservation Program, handled by SCS, or through the Rural
Environmental Assistance Program, handled by the Agricultural Stabilization
and Conservation Service.
WHO ACTS
An unfavorable benefit-cost ratio in the study area has been calculated for
this management option. For the basin as a whole, it is unclear if the
option has a favorable or unfavorable ratio. One of two paths may be taken.
The option may be dropped, even though the benefit-cost determination is
based on weak information. The alternative is to strengthen the benefit-cost
calculation by performing a feasibility study. If this option is pursued, a
feasibility analysis of conversion from forage to cash crops in Bridger
Valley should also be made, This conversion may affect substantial benefits
to the farmers of Bridger Valley, who are the group bearing the costs incurred
under this option.
If a feasibility study is initiated, the authorization would probably come
from the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. Both State and Federal
agencies could be involved. The State agencies involved could include the
Department of Environmental Quality, the Agricultural Extension Service, and
the Water Resources Research Institute. Federal agencies could include the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Soil
Conservation Service.
8-7
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The proposed feasibility study would have no environmental and social impacts.
The actions recommended in the feasibility study may have some impacts.
These would be covered in the feasibility study.
8-8
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OPTION 3
IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION EFFICIENCIES THROUGH
BETTER TIMING OF IRRIGATIONS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Irrigation return flows produce an estimated 37 percent of the total salt
load generated within the study area. Control of the loadings from irrigation
return flows can reduce salinity and reduce the costs associated with them.
At present, irrigation of land in the two largest salt producing areas,
Bridger Valley and the Eden-Farson area, is approximately equally spaced in
time, even though water requirements of a crop change considerably from
spring to summer to fall. This is a concern because when more water is
applied to the land than is lost through evapotranspiration, the excess can
percolate through the soil to come in contact with the saline formations so
prevalent in the two areas mentioned. The salts dissolve and leach to
surface waters. An excess of water during the early and late parts of the
season can raise instream salinity levels.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
One method for controlling these loadings is to continue to use flood irriga-
tion but to improve irrigation efficiencies on the farm. A higher efficiency
results in less water percolating through saline soils and rocks. A management
option to increase efficiencies on the farm is to space irrigations in spring
and fall at greater intervals and to apply less water at these times of year
in order to match water applied to the land with the lower water requirements
of crops in spring and fall.
The management option would be a voluntary action taken by the individual
farmers through conservation plans developed with the local conservation
district. The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) would assist the farmers in
the determination of water requirements for crops. SCS could also explain
tfye reasons for salinity control and the potential benefits and costs associated
with this management option.
Experts from the Agricultural Experiment Stations could also be available to
answer questions concerning irrigation efficiencies. More effort should also
be made by those at the Station and SCS to improve the distribution of informa-
tion from the experimental farms to the individual farmers and to promote the
conversion of successful experiments to practice on private farms.
An excellent educational and research tool is the demonstration project. As
part of the action described here, SCS and the local conservation districts
should seek to establish at least one demonstration project in each area so
farmers can learn first hand what is involved. Implementing success for
conversion to sprinkler irrigation in Star Valley is largely attributed to
having some early projects for other farmers to see and learn from.
8-9
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EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Figure 8-2 shows the irrigation efficiencies in 1963 on a 97.3-acre irrigated
pasture in the Eden-Farson area. Irrigation efficiencies were relatively
constant during the middle of the irrigation season, but significantly lower
at the start and the end. It is assumed that the efficiency at these two
times of year could be improved to 34 percent by better spacing of irrigation.
The improved efficiency would result in a 17 percent reduction in water
needs. According to the method used in Chapter 5 to calculate salt loads in
irrigation return flows, the 17 percent reduction in water use would mean a
17 percent reduction in salt loads. The salt load reduction in the Eden-Farson
area would be 12,000 to 23,000 tons per year, depending on which estimate is
used of existing salt loads in irrigation flows from that area. The estimated
salt load reduction from the Bridger Valley would be 22,000 tons per year.
Under this management option, the salinity concentrations at the station
designated Green River near Green River would be reduced 1.8-3.5 percent.
Salinity concentrations at the station designated Blacks Fork near Little
America would be reduced 6.7 percent.
EXPECTED COST
Almost all farmers in the Eden-Farson area and Bridger Valley have second
jobs off the farm; consequently, they would have to hire irrigators to open
and close gates while they are at work. It is estimated that approximately
20 to 40 irrigators would be required in the Eden-Farson area at an annual
cost to the farmers of $150,000 to $300,000; approximately 70 to 140 irrigators
would be required in Bridger Valley at an annual cost of $550,000 to $1,100,000.
Costs at the State level will be incurred by SCS and the Agricultural Experi-
ment Stations because of the need for better dissemination of information and
supervision of irrigation practices. These costs would be in the form of
additional pamphlets and additional mandays spent in the field demonstrating
the management option and explaining the benefits. These costs are probably
negligible compared to the expense for irrigators, however.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Benefits from this management option are shown on Table 8-2. More benefits
occur outside the study area than within it; however, benefits within the
study area are substantial. Control of salinity in the Eden-Farson area has
greater benefits to users in the study area than control of salinity in
Bridger Valley. Those who benefit in the study area include industry and
domestic users of surface water.
The Rock Springs-Green River area could also benefit from the reduction of
sulfate concentrations in the Green River reach which may be attained under
this option. The salt load from the Big Sandy River is predominantly sodium
sulfate. Therefore, salinity control in the Big Sandy is also likely to
control sulfate and bring about a reduction in sulfate concentrations downstream.
Agriculture in the study area may also benefit from this management option
through a decreased demand for water. Water shortages occur on the average
8-10
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so
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH
IRRIGATION
FIGURE 8-2
IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY ON
A TEST PLOT IN THE EDEN-FARSON AREA
-------
09
NJ
Table 8-2
BENEFITS FROM SALINITY REDUCTION BY IMPROVED IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY
Benefits (AnnuaI)
User Group
Control in Eden-Farson Area—
Industry
Domestic
Outside Study Area
Control in Bridger Valley—
Industry
Domestic
Outside Study Area
Control in Both Areas—
Industry
Domestic
Outside Study Area
Present Day
100,000
5,000
550,000
0
0
690,000
100,000
5,000
1,240,000
Coal Fxport
Scenario (1)
$320,000
6,500
0
0
320.000
6,500
Energy Export
Scenario (1)
$520,000
9,800
230,000
0
750,000
9,800
(1) Estimates of benefits include influence of population increases under the scenario, but not
of depletions. See Chapter 6 for discussion of future development scenarios.
-------
of 1 in 4 years in the Eden-Farson area and almost every year in Bridger
Valley. In these years of water shortages, crop production may increase in
both areas because of more efficient use of the limited water supply stored
in the reservoirs.
Benefit-cost ratios are shown on Table 8-3. Irrigation management cannot be
justified in the Bridger Valley on a benefit-cost basis, even if benefits
outside the study area are considered. The benefit-cost ratio is favorable
in the Eden-Farson area, however, if benefits to users outside the study area
are included. The benefit-cost ratio for both areas combined is also favorable
if benefits to users outside the study area are included.
WHO PAYS
As mentioned above, almost all farmers in both the Eden-Farson area and
Bridger Valley will have to hire irrigators in order to manage the use of
irrigation water. Under the present system, these costs would be borne by
the farmers. Federal and State assistance programs are aimed at relieving
the burdens on farmers of capital improvements. Operation and maintenance
costs are borne completely by the farmer.
Because this option is designed as a voluntary action, there is almost no
chance that it will be instituted unless some of the benefits to downstream
users are passed back to the farmers who bear the costs of salinity control.
This transfer of benefits could be accomplished through one of three Federal
programs. First, the Agricultural Conservation Program provides 50 to 75 per-
cent of the cost of conservation practices that meet special conservation
needs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized to provide funds
through this program under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act
of 1936 (PL 74-46). A second means of returning benefits of salinity control
to the farmers is through the Lower Basin Salinity Control Fund, administered
by the Bureau of Reclamation. These funds are raised by increased power
rates on Lower Basin users. The final funding source would be a 208 continuing
grant.
WHO ACTS
This management alternative is designed to be a voluntary action of the
individual farmers through local conservation districts with assistance from
SCS. Because of the voluntary nature of this alternative and because the
benefits of this alternative to the farmers are small, the likelihood of
implementing it on a widespread scale may be low unless some agency takes
specific action. The local conservation districts would be the most appro-
priate agency to locally carry out this action. The local conservation
districts are authorized under WSA 11-245(c) to conduct demonstration projects
to conserve water. This option falls under this type of project. If the
farmers see benefits from the demonstration projects, they may implement this
option voluntarily. This approach worked for sprinkler irrigation in Star
Valley.
If this option does not work on a voluntary basis, the irrigation management
recommended in this option could be made mandatory by the irrigation districts.
8-13
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Table 8-3
BENEFIT-COST RATIO FOR CONTROL OF SALT LOADS
THROUGH IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT
Benefit-Cost Ratio
Area of Control Study Area Only Entire Basin"
Eden-Farson 0.4-0.7 2.2-4.4
Bridger Valley 0 0.6-1.3
Eden-Farson and Bridger
Valley 0.1-0,2 1.0-1.9
8-14
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These districts are authorized under WSA 41-285 to make rules and regulations
for the use of water on their lands. The districts would probably hire the
irrigators if this option were made mandatory.
If this option is adopted by SWWQPA, there would be a requirement for the
local conservation districts to carry on the education work, although the
program would be voluntary for the individual farmers. It is recommended
that the Wyoming Conservation Commission and local conservation districts
become the nonpoint source management agency on a local and statewide basis
for agricultural activities pursuant to 40 CFR131.11(o) and WSA 11-238.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
There are no detrimental environmental impacts associated with this management
option. The social impacts of this option are small if the option is voluntary.
The social impacts would be much greater if the option were not voluntary,
because the farmers would be forced to drop their second jobs or hire irrigators.
8-15
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OPTION 4
CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS WHERE SALTS
CAN BE MOBILIZED
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Two proposed water resources projects, the Plains Reservoir and the Lyman
Project, provide good examples of the reasons for this option. The locations
of the two projects are shown on Figure 8-3, which is a reproduction of Fig-
ure 5-12. As seen on Figure 8-3, the Plains Reservoir would be located in a
critical geologic area along the contact zone between the Bridger and Wilkins
Peak Formations. Percolation from the reservoir would enter this contact
zone and very likely cause heavy leaching of salts. The significance of this
contact zone is described in Chapter 5. The Stateline Reservoir is not on
the contact zone itself; however, the areas that will be irrigated as a
result of that project are on the contact zone, and irrigating those areas
would very likely increase salinity in surface and ground water bodies, as
shown in a report prepared for the State Engineer's Office (Skogerboe, 1973).
Four possible conditions may be created which will increase the movement of
ground water through the critical areas shown on Figure 8-3 and increase salt
loadings to surface water from ground water. These four possible mechanisms
are described below.
Irrigation over saline soils and bedrock may increase salt loadings to surface
waters. A good example of where such a mechanism is happening is in the
Bridger Valley where soils are underlain by a shale formation. SCS personnel
claim that the present irrigation practice of flooding in the Bridger Valley
results in over-application of irrigation water. This excess water percolates
through the soil to the shale formation and leaches the salts back up into
the soil itself. During irrigation season, these salts largely stay in the
soil mantle, but irrigation practice in the spring time is to use the excess
spring runoff to flush the salts from the soils so that they do not build up
in the plants' root zone. This flushing action liberates the salts and
allows them to reach the surface streams. As mentioned earlier, the Lyman
project may increase the amount of irrigation water to areas in Bridger
Valley underlain by saline soils and bedrock.
The second possible condition occurs when wells or drill holes penetrate
upper soil and rock layers and reach underlying layers that have high salt
content and contain water under pressure. If not properly sealed, such wells
can,flow high saline water to the surface where it can enter surface streams
or enter the ground water body. Examples of this mechanism have been found
in northern Sweetwater County where exploration and other wells drilled in
past years have been left to flow free to the surface. Examples have been
noted where the salinity of the water in these flowing wells may reach 7,000-
10,000 parts per million. As discussed in Chapter 5, two areas lack only the
proper geologic structure to convey highly saline water to the surface.
These areas are the Hams Fork between Kemmerer and Granger and the Henrys
Fork between Manila and Burnt Fork. Drilling in these areas can modify the
ground water flow regime by allowing highly saline ground water from deeper
8-16
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h7Wi
$ CONTACT ZONE BETWEEN
I
WILKINS PEAK FORMATION
AND BRIDGER FORMATION
MANCOS SHALES
,FONTENELLE DAM BIG g^NDY DAM
/ EDEN DAM
SITE
T
>¦- •",, - \
• > > ~
4
-%f
#
-MEEKS CABIN RESERVOIR,
STATELINE PROJECT
FIGURE 8-3
RELATIONSHIP OF PLAINS
RESERVOIR AND STATELINE
PROJECT TO CRITICAL
GEOLOGIC AREAS
10 O 10 10 30 40
SCALE IN MILE!
w
O
4
•"VMTB,
-------
aquifers to mix with ground water from shallow aquifers or to be discharged
at the surface.
The third possible condition under which salts can be mobilized from soils
occurs where previous erosion or construction has exposed and cut through
saline layers and then those layers become flooded through the development of
a dam and reservoir. The contact of water with these saline layers, primarily
shale, allows the salts to be leached from the ground and into the water. No
examples of this condition are known to exist now in the study area.
A fourth possible condition would be if saline-bearing layers are uncovered
through surface mining or construction activities and then allowed to come
into contact with water whether natural or man-applied. Salts may be leached
from the saline formation in these cases and, if not controlled, could reach
surface water bodies and increase the salinity load there. This condition
also has not been found in the study area.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The primary management action to guard against salts being mobilized from
soils is to require thorough investigation of where such potential conditions
exist prior to any development occurring and requiring that existing agricul-
ture or well drilling activities that may mobilize soils be modified or
operated in such a way so as to prevent a contamination problem. BLM and DEQ
each currently have a program that requires oil-and-gas wells be sealed to
prevent the intrusion of highly saline ground water into other ground water
or surface water bodies. The State Engineer's Office issues permits for the
development of ground water. Certain conditions contained in the permits are
aimed at minimizing water quality impacts. These programs have been effective
over the last few years and are encouraged to continue into the future.
For the situation in the Bridger Valley, see further discussion under Option 3.
The agencies most likely to undertake water resources development that might
mobilize salts under one of the four conditions mentioned above are the
Bureau of Reclamation and the State of Wyoming. These agencies should be
aware of the location of potential problems, as shown on Figure 8-3. They
are encouraged to require study of potential water quality conditions associated
with any water resources development that they may sponsor or be responsible
for reviewing.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Salinity reductions due to changes in irrigation practice in the Bridger
Valley are covered under the discussion for Option 3.
Actions directed toward future water resources development can be expected to
produce no net increase in salinity over current levels if proper study is
done and precautions taken.
The program of BLM and DEQ requiring sealing of oil-and-gas wells is expected
to continue to be effective and to cause no net increase in surface water
8-18
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salinity in the future. Furthermore, the program of BLM and DEQ to find and
seal wells that may already be causing problems is likely to produce a net
decrease in salinity in the study area. Specific amounts cannot be estimated
due to the unknown number of such wells and due to the uncertainty of a
program for capping and sealing them. In addition, existing ground water
bodies may already have been contaminated with flows from these wells, and
the residual effects could continue for some time even after the wells are
sealed.
EXPECTED COST
Costs associated with irrigation practices in the Bridger Valley are covered
under Option 3.
The costs associated with doing further study prior to water resources develop-
ment will depend on where the development is proposed. Also, the investigations
would probably be carried out as part of other exploratory work and the cost
would not stand out as a separate item. There is a likelihood that the
results of the studies may preclude some water resource development or other
development in certain areas. It is also possible that actions to prevent
problems, should development occur, can increase the cost of a water resources
development project.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Those benefiting from these salinity control actions would be those domestic,
industrial, or agricultural users of water within the study area downstream'
from a proposed project which would cause salinity increases, as well as
downstream users in the Colorado River system and outside the study area,
WHO PAYS
Costs associated with irrigation practices in the Bridger Valley are described
under the discussion of Option 3.
Costs associated with proper management of exploratory and other wells would
be borne by the one who is paying for the drilling. In addition, costs to
manage such a program will continue to be borne by BLM, DEQ, and the State
Engineer's Office.
Costs to evaluate proposed water resource projects in order to study the
potential for salinity would be borne by the public, either nationally in the
case of federally funded projects or statewide for State-initiated projects.
If water resource development projects were undertaken by private industries,
then the cost for additional study as well as control measures would be borne
by them.
WHO ACTS
Discussion for Bridger Valley irrigation is contained under Option 3.
8-19
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BLM and DEQ would continue to act as the management agencies related to oil-
and-gas wells in the area. The State Engineer would continue to issue permits
for ground water development and give detailed consideration to the ground
water impacts of each case.
The Bureau of Reclamation and the State of Wyoming Water Planning Program
could be charged with carrying out the necessary study for any public or
private projects as appropriate that might affect salinity levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The environmental impact of any of the actions under this option would be to
produce no net increase in future salinity levels in surface and ground water
bodies. The salinity levels present in the study area are already high
enough to have significant economic and health impacts. Future increases in
salinity will make these impacts more severe.
Social impacts of these actions include the possibility that some future
potential water development projects may be dropped because costs associated
with salinity control are too high. These consequences could result in a
change in the type or extent of industrial development within the basin or
where basin waters may be diverted.
8-20
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OPTION 5
STUDY POTENTIAL CONTROLS FOR SALINITY IN SUBLETTE COUNTY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Of the salinity leaving Wyoming via the Green River system, approximately
26 percent enters from Sublette County and the remaining 74 percent is generated
within the study area. Any salinity control program within the study area
can be at most 74 percent effective in reducing salinity levels in the Green
River as it leaves Wyoming.
Sublette County is not included in this 208 study, and the priority for
funding 208 studies in Sublette County under the State's nondesignated area
program is fifth out of six areas. Therefore, funding for the county is
unlikely in the near future. The salt load from Sublette County is pre-
dominantly calcium bicarbonate, which causes hardness in the water and raises
water treatment costs for industry and domestic users downstream. As shown
on Table 5-3, 50 percent of the calcium reaching Flaming Gorge Reservoir from
the Green River originates in Sublette County.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The State DEQ should be encouraged to include consideration of salinity
generated in Sublette County as an important factor in setting priorities for
future funding of 208 studies in nondesignated areas of the State.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Salinity reduction resulting from studies in Sublette County is assumed to be
on the same order of magnitude as might be expected from this study area.
That reduction would specifically be in the range of 5-20 percent of the
total salinity loads.
EXPECTED COSTS
The cost of making salinity studies in Sublette County could be as little as
$20,000 for a fairly cursory study to as much as $200,000 if extensive water
quality simulation modeling were undertaken.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The benefits of studying salinity in Sublette County are to equalize the
pressure on people in the Green River Basin for salinity control. Without
such studies, the pressure is more likely to be on the residents and water
users of Sweetwater County rather than on those in Sublette County.
If the studies were to result in actions to reduce salinity levels, the
benefits would accrue to all water users within Sweetwater County as well as
downstream users outside the study area.
8-21
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WHO PAYS
If studies of Sublette County were undertaken as part of 208 planning, the
Federal Government would provide either 75 or 100 percent of the cost, depending
on whether the studies were done under the State's nondesignated area or were
done as a designated agency in Sublette County, respectively. Additional
costs beyond those that might be available from Federal sources would be
borne by residents in Wyoming and, to some extent, by residents in Sublette
County.
WHO ACTS
As part of its 208 Plan, the Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning
Association encourages the State to include in the statewide plan the necessary
studies in Sublette County. The State would then have to carry out the
studies or contract with Sublette County and/or outside contractors to do the
work.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
Possible environmental impacts of studies of Sublette County might be the
eventual reduction of salinity in the Green River system.
A potential social impact of the studies is the possibility of Sublette
County residents having to take action for the benefit of those downstream.
A positive impact could be the awareness of Sweetwater County residents that
all who are involved in the basin are included in considering controls.
If specific controls were developed as a result of the studies, the controls
taken in Sublette County might not produce benefits to Sublette County residents,
but would more likely produce benefits for downstream users in Sweetwater
County and outside the State.
8-22
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OPTION 6
INTERCEPTION OF GROUND WATER BELOW BIG SANDY RESERVOIR
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Critical geologic areas where additional recharge could have a major impact
on salt loads in the rivers were indicated on Figure 5-12. (This figure has
been reproduced with a few additions in this chapter as Figure 8-3.) As
shown on the figure, Big Sandy Reservoir is located in one of these critical
geologic areas. Seepage from the reservoir is recharging ground water in the
critical area and may be an important contribution to the high salt loads
found in seeps downstream in the Big Sandy River.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The initial step under this option is a study of the feasibility of intercepting
high quality ground water near the reservoir before it travels through the
highly saline soils and bedrock downgradient. The intercepted ground water
could be discharged from a series of barrier wells to the Big Sandy River.
This action could have two beneficial effects. First, the amount of water
which passes through the highly saline soils and bedrock downgradient from
the reservoir would be reduced. Second, flow in the Big Sandy River would be
augmented by high quality water from the wells; this additional flow would be
available for beneficial use and for dilution of the highly saline water
found in the Lower Big Sandy reach.
The feasibility study would be conducted through the Big Sandy River Unit
project. This project is presently looking at controls primarily in the
discharge areas. A more effective approach may be controls in the recharge
areas, such as the one suggested in this option.
If this option were found feasible, it could be implemented through the
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
The expected contaminant reduction from this option is difficult to estimate
because of a lack of information on the amount of seepage from the Big Sandy
Reservoir and the amount of salt picked up by that seepage. Some very broad,
highly speculative estimates are given in this section. These numbers would
be more accurately defined in the feasibility study.
Big Sandy Reservoir is located in an area of highly permeable soils. The
general soil type in the area is a Farson gravelly sandy loam. Flow velocities
through these soils are estimated to range from 100 feet per year to 100,000
feet per year, which correspond to permeabilities of 100 to 100,000 gallons
per day per square foot, Although flow-through rates are high for soils,
little salinity is likely to be picked up by ground water flowing through
these soils because of the small amount of leachable salts associated with
gravelly loam and the short residence time of ground water in the soils
before it is discharged to surface waters.
8-23
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Most of the salt pickup by seepage water will result from leaching of the
Bridger and Wilkins Peak Formations. These formations are primarily shales
which have low permeabilities in the range of 1 x 10~2 to 1 x 10"^ gallons
per day per square foot. These permeabilities correspond to flow rates of
1 x 10-2 to 1 x 10-4 feet per year. Within these formations, however, the
shales are interbedded with tufaceous sandstones, algal limestones, and
conglomerates. Permeabilities for these rocks are higher than those for
shales and typically range from 0.01 to 10 gallons per day per square foot.
These permeabilities correspond to flow velocities of 0.01 to 10 feet per
year.
The permeability of bedrock under the reservoir may range from 0.0001 to
10 gallons per day per square foot, depending on the relative percentages of
shale and more permeable materials. Given the broad range in permeabilities,
seepage from Big Sandy Reservoir may be anywhere from 0.16 acre-foot per year
(2 x 10_i* cfs) to 16,000 acre-feet per year (22 cfs). A more accurate estimate
of seepage could be determined in the feasibility study by a detailed survey
of the bedrock in the vicinity of the reservoir or a detailed analysis of the
water budget for the reservoir.
Seeps in the Lower Big Sandy reach have salinity concentrations as high as
6,000 mg/l TDS. Surface geology indicates that some of this saline water may
have originated as seepage from Big Sandy Reservoir, because the same geologic
formations appear at the surface in the vicinity of the reservoir and in the
vicinity of the seeps. If it is assumed that TDS concentrations in seepage
from the reservoir average 2,500 mg/l, seepage may deliver as much as
55,000 tons of salt per year to the Green River system. However, if the
bedrock permeability averages 1 x 10-Zt gallons per day per square foot,
seepage would deliver only 0.5 ton of salts per year.
EXPECTED COST
The expected cost of the feasibility study is estimated at $50,000 to $200,000.
Costs of the project itself cannot be estimated until completion of the
feasibility study.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
This option has the potential to reduce TDS and sulfate concentrations in the
Big Sandy River and the Green River below the Big Sandy River. Those who
would benefit include industrial and domestic water users in the study area
and water users downstream and outside of the study area. Given a potential
55,000-ton-per-year reduction in salt loads, the potential benefits from this
option total approximately $2 million per year. The benefits are allocated
as follows: $15,000 per year to domestic water users; $300,000 per year to
industry in the study area; and $1,700,000 per year to users outside the
study area. These are potential benefits; in all likelihood, the salt reduc-
tion under this option will be somewhat less, and therefore the benefits will
also be somewhat less.
Benefits may also be accrued by farmers in the Eden-Farson area. At present,
irrigation water shortages occur 1 in 4 years. Sufficient water may be
pumped from the barrier wells to the river to relieve these shortages.
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WHO PAYS
Both the feasibility study and the project would come under the Colorado
River Basin Salinity Control Program. Because the Bureau of Reclamation has
been actively involved in the Big Sandy River Unit study for 3 years, this
agency would likely assume the responsibility and cost for the feasibility
study.
WHO ACTS
The Bureau of Reclamation could initiate action under the existing Big Sandy
River Unit study.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
There are no environmental or social impacts associated with the feasibility
study. Impacts should be considered in the feasibility study for the control
alternatives developed.
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OPTION 7
NO ACTION
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Taking no action is construed in this case to mean no further action beyond
what is being done at the present. This option, then, would be limited to a
continuation of the programs of BLM, DEQ, and the State Engineer to control
discharge of saline water from wells and a continuation of the Big Sandy Unit
study.
Salinity levels in the study area are presently causing economic and health
impacts on domestic and industrial water users. The costs associated with
industrial and domestic water use in the Green River Basin have been discussed
in Chapter 4.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The only actions involved in this option are to allow the programs mentioned
above to continue and to allow individual decisions by domestic suppliers and
industrial users concerning independent actions affecting their own economic
picture. If the cost to an industry, for example, for treating the present
water is higher than the cost of developing and operating a pipeline to a
better water source, then it may be wiser for them to secure a better source
if it is available to them under the existing water rights picture. The same
analysis would be made by domestic suppliers as well.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
No reduction in salinity is expected as a result of this action. In the
future, salinity concentrations may increase because of more irrigation in
the Bridger Valley due to the Lyman project and more diversions and depletions
of high quality water for industrial and domestic use.
EXPECTED COSTS
The only cost associated with this action is that incurred by BLM and DEQ in
the management of exploratory and other wells.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Those who benefit by such an action would be those to whom the costs could
accrue if any of the other possible actions were taken. The general situation
in the study area is that those who cause salinity are upstream and those who
benefit from salinity reductions are downstream. Thus, those who benefit are
not necessarily those who pay for salinity control.
WHO PAYS
The costs associated with the management programs of BLM and DEQ will continue
to be paid by their present sources. The costs resulting from taking this
action would be borne by the industrial users and the domestic suppliers and
their customers.
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WHO ACTS
BLM and DEQ would continue to act as described above.
Independent actions would take place on the part of individual industries or
domestic suppliers in accordance with their perceived economic picture.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
Because this option is a continuation of the existing system, it would probably
have the least social impact of any of the salinity control options. The
environmental impacts include continued economic-related and health-related
problems due to high salinity.
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OPTION 8
SALINITY STANDARDS IN THE STUDY AREA
An important distinction exists between the water quality criteria developed
in Chapter 2 and water quality standards. The criteria developed in this
report are numeric values used to judge existing and future water quality in
terms of the water quality goals in the study area. They differ from standards
in that standards are adopted by an administrative agency for the regulation
and enforcement of water quality.
The criteria for specific salinity species given in Chapter 2 concern the
protection of water for industry, agriculture, wildlife and livestock watering,
public water supply, and fisheries. The feasibility of adopting these criteria
as standards is examined under this option. In addition, this option will
describe investigations about an economic-based salinity criterion that can
be applied in the area. A recommendation for adoption will be made if the
standards protect water quality for beneficial use; if they are attainable at
reasonable economic, environmental, and social cost; and if they are legally
defensible.
PRECEDENT FOR SALINITY STANDARDS IN THE STUDY AREA
EPA promulgated in the Federal Register on December 18, 1974, a regulation
establishing a Colorado River System Salinity Control Policy and Standards
Procedure (40 CFR, Part 120, Water Quality Standards). The pertinent parts
of this regulation are presented below:
(b) It shall be the policy that the flow weighted average annual salinity
in the lower main stem of the Colorado River System be maintained at or
below the average value found during 1972. To carry out this policy,
water quality standards for salinity and a plan of implementation for
salinity control shall be developed and implemented in accordance with
the principles of paragraph (c) below.
(c) The States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico,
Utah and Wyoming are required to adopt and submit for approval to the
Environmental Protection Agency on or before October 18, 1975:
(1) Adopted water quality standards for salinity including numeric
criteria consistent with the policy stated above for appropriate points
in the Colorado River System; and,
(2) A plan to achieve compliance with these standards as expeditiously
as practicable providing that:
(i) The plan shall identify State and Federal regulatory authorities and
programs necessary to achieve compliance with the plan.
(ii) The salinity problem shall be treated as a basinwide problem that
needs to be solved in order to maintain lower main stem salinity at or
below 1972 levels while the basin States continue to develop their
compact apportioned waters.
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(iii) The goat of the plan shall be to achieve compliance with the
adopted standards by July 1, 1983. The date of compliance with the
adopted standards shall take into account the necessity for Federal
salinity control actions set forth in the plan. Abatement measures
within the control of the States shall be implemented as soon as practicable.
(iv) Salinity levels in the lower main stem may temporarily increase
above the 1972 levels if control measures to offset the increases are
included in the control plan. However, compliance with 1972 levels
shall be a primary consideration.
Wyoming has complied with the requirements in this regulation through the
adoption of the standards and salinity control program of the Colorado River
Basin Salinity Control Forum. The adopted water quality standards for salinity
are the following flow-weighted average annual concentrations of total
dissolved solids:
¦ 723 mg/l at the station below Hoover Dam
¦ 747 mg/l at the station below Parker Dam
¦ 879 mg/l at Imperial Dam
These standards are based on the average concentrations at each station in
1972. All three stations are more than 500 miles south of the study area.
There are no numeric instream salinity standards in the study area.
The salinity control program proposed by the Forum and adopted by Wyoming
includes the present Big Sandy Unit study on the control of nonpoint salinity
loadings from the Big Sandy River. This project is one of 16 Federal projects
in the Colorado River Basin designed to control salinity. Completion of all
16 projects is predicted to allow full development of Colorado River compact-
allocated water in the Upper Basin without increases in salinity concentrations
in the Lower Basin beyond the levels set in the standards.
RATIONALE FOR SALINITY STANDARDS IN THE STUDY AREA
Use impairments due to excessively high salinity concentrations are summarized
on Figure 8-1 at the start of this chapter. There are two types of salinity
problems in the study area. First, increases in general salinity (expressed
as total dissolved solids or specific conductance) have resulted in greater
costs of water treatment for industry and domestic water users. Second, with
regard to specific salinity species, high concentrations of sulfate have
caused health problems in Rock Springs and Green River; and high concentrations
of sulfate, chloride, and total dissolved solids have the potential for
causing health problems for livestock and wildlife.
Salinity control, both general and species-specific, can relieve these salinity
problems and create economic and health benefits in the study area. Some of
the salinity control options discussed earlier in this chapter are economically
feasible (benefit-cost ratios greater than one) when considering the basin as
a whole; none has a favorable benefit-cost ratio within Wyoming alone. The
reason for a standard, whether for general salinity or for a specific species
is to provide a basis for measuring achievement.
8-29
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The salinity standards adopted by Wyoming through the Colorado River Basin
Salinity Control Project apply only to levels in the Lower Basin and cannot
be used to regulate directly salinity concentration or loads in the study
area. A new set of standards would be necessary if a salinity control policy
were adopted for the study area.
PREFERRED LOCATIONS OF SALINITY STANDARDS STATIONS
Stations for monitoring salinity would be required in the study area and
would have three purposes: (1) to monitor sulfate, chloride, and total
dissolved solids concentrations to ensure that they do not exceed health
standards for people, livestock, or wildlife; (2) to monitor salinity loads
for the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project; and (3) to control
salinity for the economic benefit of the study area. The set of stations for
the first two purposes should include at least those listed on Table 8-4.
The recommended stations for the third purpose include the following already
in existence:
¦ Green River at Big Island
¦ Green River near Green River
¦ Green River below Green River
¦ Blacks Fork near Little America
These four stations are located about reaches where water treatment costs ill
the study area may be significantly reduced by salinity control, and below
areas with the potential of greater salt delivery. The station near Green
River has been included because it is still unclear how much of the salt load
generated in the Big Sandy watershed reaches the Green River system through
ground water discharge below the station at Big Island compared with direct
discharge from the Big Sandy itself.
RECREACTION AND FISHERY-RELATED INSTREAM SALINITY STANDARDS
The primary goal of the 1972 Clean Water Act and a policy of EPA is the
protection of waters for recreational uses and for desired species of aquatic
biota through a National Water Quality Standards Program. No salinity
criteria developed in Chapter 2 were related to recreation. One criterion,
that alkalinity must be 20 mg/l or more as calcium carbonate unless natural
concentrations are less, concerns the protection of fisheries. It is recom-
mended under this option that DEQ adopt this criterion as a standard in order
to be in conformance with the primary goal of the 1972 Clean Water Act and
the policy of EPA.
No reaches in the study area have had violations of this criterion. Therefore,
the standard is achievable under existing conditions.
HEALTH-RELATED INSTREAM SALINITY STANDARDS
The criteria developed in Chapter 2 contain certain values related to the
health effects of salinity. These effluent limitations include—
8-30
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Table 8-4
SALINITY MONITORING STATIONS
Monitoring Stations
Storet Numbers
Green River near LaBarge
09209400
Green River below Fontenelle Reservoir
09211200
Green River at Big Island
09216300
Green River near Green River
09217000
Green River below Green River
09217010
Big Sandy Reservoir
560101
Big Sandy River below Eden
09216000
Big Sandy River at Gasson Bridge
09216050
Pacific Creek near Farson
09215000
Bitter Creek above Salt Wells Creek
09216562
Blacks Fork near Millburne
09218500
Blacks Fork near Lyman
09222000
Blacks Fork near Little America
09224700
Smiths Fork near Lyman
09221650
Muddy Creek near Hampton
09222400
Hams Fork near Granger
09224450
Henrys Fork near Manila
09226000
8-31
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¦ Chloride less than or equal to 2,000 mg/l for wildlife and livestock
watering.
¦ Sulfates less than or equal to 3,000 mg/l for wildlife and livestock
watering.
¦ Sulfates less than or equal to 250 mg/l for public water supplies.
¦ Total dissolved solids less than or equal to 5,000 mg/l for wildlife
and livestock watering.
It is recommended under this option that these criteria be considered for
adoption as standards in the study area by DEQ. Maximum instream concentrations
should not be allowed to exceed these levels in any sample.
Those reaches with impaired uses due to instream concentrations which exceeded
the four criteria listed above are—
¦ Green River reach (public water supply)
¦ Flaming Gorge Reservoir (public water supply)
¦ Upper Bitter Creek (wildlife and livestock watering)
¦ Killpecker Creek (wildlife and livestock watering)
¦ Lyman reach of Blacks Fork (public water supply)
¦ Lower Hams Fork (public water supply)
Salinity standards could be met in these reaches either by reducing or
diluting salinity loads or by abandoning the impaired uses in these reaches.
The three reaches along the main stems of the Green River and Blacks Fork lie
below areas in the Big Sandy and Bridger Valley with economically feasible
salinity control projects. Adoption of health-related salinity standards in
these reaches would encourage progress on these projects. Without salinity
modeling in the area, it is unknown whether the feasible salinity control
measures can reduce salinity concentrations to the level required by the
standards. However, these measures can probably bring maximum instream
concentrations closer to the standards and reduce the amount of time instream
standards are exceeded.
The other three reaches listed above do not lie below feasible salinity
control projects. Rather than to promote salinity control projects, salinity
standards in these reaches can indicate to users when water use should be
restricted because of possible health impacts. For example, users in the
Lower Hams Fork may seek to obtain rights for storage of water and use the
stored water during the periods of high sulfates in mid-winter.
ECONOMIC-RELATED INSTREAM SALINITY STANDARDS
The Colorado River System Salinity Control Standards are based on salinity
control for the economic benefit of agriculture, industry, and domestic water
users in the Lower Colorado River Basin. As discussed earlier, they cannot
be used to control salinity explicitly for the benefit of users in the study
area. Therefore, additional salinity standards may be needed to control
8-32
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salinity in the study area for the economic benefit of those in the study
area and in Wyoming.
Among the salinity criteria developed in Chapter 2, only the SAR-TDS cri-
terion for agriculture is economic based. Nine reaches are indicated as
impaired for agricultural use because instream concentrations exceed this
criterion. However, no farmers or ranchers in any of these reaches have
noted a curtailment of crop production because of poor water quality. There
are two explanations for this discrepancy: first, irrigation water is usually
diverted from the upper end of a reach, where water quality is significantly
better than that recorded for the reach at stations downstream; second, the
practice of flood irrigation washes out salts which have accumulated during
the irrigation season. For these two reasons, salt concentrations have not
been a problem to agriculture in the study area. To adopt the SAR-TDS
criterion as a standard may focus attention away from the more severe salinity
problems for domestic water users, industry, and wildlife and livestock.
Therefore, it is recommended under this option that the SAR-TDS criterion not
be adopted as a standard in the study area.
Industry and domestic water users in the study area would benefit from a
control in salinity. When comparing these benefits with their costs, however,
the ratio is not favorable. For this reason, standards are not recommended
under this option to provide benefits only to users within the study area.
When comparing benefits basinwide, however, with costs of general salinity
control within the area, a favorable ratio exists. It therefore seems reason-
able to recommend under this option that both point and nonpoint source
control programs be implemented, including some or all of the other options
described in this chapter. Standards can aid in the enforcement of these
programs.
The question remains, then, what standard should be applied in order to
measure the need for control and the achievement of control. As described
before, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum has adopted water
quality standards but at points more than 500 miles downstream from Wyoming.
DEQ cannot use those standards to provide the required measurement. Under
this option two methods of establishing numeric standards for Wyoming have
been investigated. Neither can be recommended at this time for reasons
explained below. Another way is to establish salinity standards for Wyoming
through judicial proceedings; that is the route chosen by the Environmental
Defense Fund in its suit against EPA and other Federal agencies in August
1977. The case was still in court at the time this report was published.
The two methods for establishing scientifically based standards that were
investigated in this study are described in the following material. The
policy behind both is a maintenance of salinity at existing levels. Included
are the reasons why they were not recommended. It is hoped that this informa-
tion will be of value to those who may be asked to develop salinity standards
in the future.
The precedent has been set in the Colorado River Basin to peg economic-related
salinity standards in the Lower Basin to 1972 flow-weighted instream total
8-33
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dissolved solids concentration. Because of this precedent, the possibility
of using 1972 flow-weighted conditions in the study area for economic-related
salinity standards was investigated in detail. This approach was found
unsuitable for two reasons.
First, while flow-weighting is a good way to describe salinity levels instream
over a wide variety of conditions, it is not appropriate for the study area
because industrial and domestic water users are more concerned with actual
salinity concentrations in their intake water. In 1972, users of Green River
water near Green River experienced an average intake salinity of 529 ymhos.
The flow-weighted average instream salinity concentration for 1972 at that
station was 456 ymhos. The flow-weighted average would significantly under-
estimate the costs of salinity to users during that year.
Second, uncontrollable natural climatic changes in precipitation cause large
changes in salinity concentrations. Figure 8-^1 shows salinity levels at two
stations for the 6 years 1970-75 and compares these levels with the average
salinity level for 1960-75 for the same stations. Although salinity concen-
trations in 1972 were within 5 percent of the long-term average at the two
stations, there is considerable variation from year to year. The primary
reason for those variations is changing amounts of precipitation on the
watershed. Surface runoff is low in salts compared with ground water discharge.
Generally, when surface runoff is high it dilutes ground water salinity
contributions; when surface runoff is low, higher instream salinity results
because ground water has more influence. Because of the wide variability
from year to year, selecting a single year's value for the standard means
that natural rather than manmade conditions could cause violation of the
standard. The situation makes a measurement of the effects of management
programs impossible.
The second method investigated for establishing a scientifically based general
salinity standard uses a statistical approach rather than a single year's
value. Here, recognizing the natural scatter of salinity levels described
above, the values over several years were plotted for the same two stations.
This is shown on Figure 8-5. The approach tries to build upon the relationship
that lower runoff years have higher instream salinity and higher runoff years
have lower salinity. If a sound statistical relationship can be established
between salinity and flow levels, then a rule curve can be established against
which to make measurements. The rule curve becomes, in effect, a standard.
When salinity levels are above the rule curve, it would be assumed that
man-induced conditions caused the increase and the need for more control
would be as evident as if a standard were violated. Figure 8-5 shows that
definite patterns emerge for the two stations, and that each station has its
own characteristic. However, because natural causes deliver as much as
80 percent of the salinity at the Green River station and as much as 60 percent
of that at the Blacks Fork station, as little as 20 percent change in the
Green River natural conditions, for example, from one year to another would
completely mask any salinity contributions made by all other sources. This
means the method would not be sensitive to changes in man-induced salinity
loads. Perhaps with 10 to 15 additional years of record, this approach could
be used more satisfactorily.
8-34
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FIGURE 8-4
ANNUAL SFECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
AT TWO STATIONS
8®
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1500
.U
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(-^5_SSEEN rives
500
3000
500
1000 1500
AVERAGE ANNUAL FLOW RATE (CFS)
2000
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FIGURE 8-5
ANNUAL SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
AS A FUNCTION OF THE AVERAGE
ANNUAL FLOW RATE
CH2M
BHILL
-------
EFFLUENT LIMITATIONS FOR POINT SOURCES
The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum adopted a Policy for Imple-
mentation of the Colorado River Salinity Standards through the NPDES Permit
Program on February 28, 1977. The effluent limitations contained in Forum
Policy and summarized below are the basis for point source control of salinity.
The objective for industrial sources is a no-salt-return policy. Each new or
existing industrial facility is judged on an individual basis. If the
objective cannot be attained for a particular facility, discharges of up to
1 ton per day or 350 tons per year may be allowed. Although not specifically
stated, it is assumed that industrial sources also include discharging wells
drilled for exploration of water or oil and gas.
The objective for municipal sources is an incremental increase of 400 mg/l or
less above the flow-weighted average salinity of the intake water supply or
a maximum discharge of 1 ton per day or 350 tons per year, whichever is less
Each municipal facility is judged on an individual basis. Requirements may
be waived for a particular facility if there is no reasonable way of attaining
the objective.
It is recommended under this option that these standards be included in the
NPDES permits for dischargers to the Green River'system. Technology is
available to meet the discharge standards in the study area. The technology
includes evaporation ponds, distillation, reverse osmosis, and other removal
techniques.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has developed rules
relating to the surface discharge of water associated with the production of
oil and gas (Chapter VII, Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations)
Section 4 of the rules contain the following effluent limitations:
¦ Chlorides must not exceed 2,000 mg/l in any sample
¦ Sulfates must not exceed 3,000 mg/l in any sample
¦ Total dissolved solids must not exceed 5,000 mg/l in any sample
¦ pH must be between 6.5 and 8.5 in all samples
¦ Oil and grease may not exceed 10 mg/l in any sample
The State also reserves the right to impose limitations on other parameters.
It is recommended under this option that DEQ continue to include these condi-
tions in discharge permits for oil and gas.
WASTELOAD REDUCTIONS FOR NONPOINT SOURCES
Wasteload allocations for nonpoint sources are a difficult task. First, there
is commonly no single discharge point from a nonpoint salinity source, so
monitoring of salinity loadings from the source is difficult. Second, the
reduction in salinity loadings from a nonpoint source due to the institution
of certain management practices is difficult to predict accurately. Because
of these two problems, wasteload allocations have generally not been attempted
for nonpoint sources. However, the salinity budget in Chapter 5 shows that
8-37
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almost all of the present salt load generated in the study area comes from
nonpoint sources. This trend may be expected to continue. Therefore, salinity
control in the study area dictates control of nonpoint salinity sources.
The objective of economic-related instream salinity standards is no increase
in salinity concentrations over existing levels. Even though specific numeric
levels cannot be developed in this report, as described earlier, the salinity
reduction objective is just as valid, and each project or area can be considered
on an individual basis. This objective may then be attained by no net increase
in salinity concentrations due to salinity loadings from nonpoint sources.
An example of how this reduction scheme would work is presented below.
The Lyman project involves the construction of two reservoirs to store
surplus early-season runoff on the Blacks Fork and Smiths Fork. Construction
of the Meeks Cabin Dam and Reservoir was completed in 1971. The other dam
and reservoir has not yet been constructed. Water stored in the reservoirs
will furnish late-season supplemental irrigation water to approximately
36,000 acres of irrigated land in the Bridger Valley. The potential from
this project for increased salinity concentrations at Blacks Fork near Little
America is great. The estimated salinity increase in Blacks Fork at Lyman
due to evaporative losses in the other dam and reservoir is 11 mg/l (Skogerboe,
1973) .
Under the wasteload allocation system proposed for nonpoint sources, the
effects of the Lyman project on salinity concentrations at Blacks Fork near
Little America would have to be balanced by salinity control measures above
that station. Control measures could include options mentioned earlier, such
as better timing of irrigations or a change from flood irrigation to sprinkler
irrigation, or other best management practices. The impact of salt loading
changes in the Bridger Valley on concentrations near Little America could be
estimated through stochastic river models developed by the Bureau of Reclama-
tion, Utah State, or others. Approval of a project such as the Lyman project
would be contingent on finding and instituting best management practices to
balance out its salinity impacts at the station designated Blacks Fork near
Little America.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
The goal of the economic-based standards considered under this option is to
maintain existing salinity levels in the study area. To attain this goal may
require reduction in salt loadings or increases in dilution water. The
salinity control measures should also be aimed at reducing concentrations of
specific salinity species below the health-based standards.
EXPECTED COSTS
Costs for developing salinity standards have not been estimated. However,
these costs would probably be small compared to the potential benefits gained.
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BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Those who would benefit from salinity standards would be domestic and indus-
trial water users, wildlife and livestock in the study area, and downstream
users outside the study area. Benefits would be both economic and health
related.
WHO PAYS
DEQ would incur costs in the development and enforcement of salinity standards.
These costs are difficult to assess.
EPA, through the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum, would also be
involved in setting standards, using the same funding as now.
WHO ACTS
On an interim basis, DEQ would be responsible for determining or evaluating
the salinity increase associated with a specific project and enforcing develop-
ment of counteractive measures. DEQ would also take the same role with
regard to nonpoint sources.
DEQ would eventually institute instream salinity standards for the study area
when possible. Authorization for this action comes under the Wyoming Environ-
mental Quality Act, 1973 Session Laws, Chapter 250, Section 1. DEQ would
review all water and oil and gas resource development projects in the study
area and determine what measures need to be taken in order to meet the instream
salinity standards.
Discharge permits for point sources would be issued by DEQ under the NPDES
permit program. Surveillance of those discharges for compliance would also
be the responsibility of DEQ.
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Chapter 9
CONTROLS FOR EUTROPHICATION
Phosphorus has been identified in this study as the major cause of eutrophica-
tion in the study area's reservoirs. This chapter describes the reductions
needed in phosphorus loads and the control measures available. From the
information given here, a recommended plan to manage eutrophication will be
developed and described in Chapter 11.
DESIRED PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS TO THE AREA'S RESERVOIRS
Figure 2-5 showed the strong correlation between phosphorus levels and water
transparencies for the reservoirs in the study area. The two curved lines on
that figure enclose 95 percent of the data points and included all reservoirs
except Viva Naughton Reservoir. Because some other factor besides phosphorus
must be influencing transparency in Viva Naughton, this reservoir is not
discussed further here.
Below phosphorus levels of 0.030 mg/l, there is no direct relationship between
phosphorus and transparency levels, as seen on Figure 9-1, and therefore
reducing phosphorus below 0.030 mg/l may not mean an improvement in transparency.
The phosphorus levels below 0.030 mg/l were recorded in lower Flaming Gorge
Reservoir, Palisades Reservoir, and Bear Lake. Above phosphorus levels of
0.080 mg/l in the surface waters, reducing phosphorus concentrations also
does not seem to improve transparency, as shown on Figure 9-1. Recognizable
benefits can therefore be attained when phosphorus levels are reduced in the
range between 0.080 and 0.030 mg/l. The boundary between eutrophic and
mesotrophic conditions is at about 0.080 mg/l and that between mesotrophic
and oligotrophic, about 0.030 mg/l phosphorus.
Water quality goals related to trophic status are typically set in the meso-
trophic zone. This avoids the overabundance of aquatic vegetation and algae
growths associated with the eutrophic state, as well as the underproductive
conditions of the oligotrophic state. The mesotrophic zone provides sufficient
diversity of flora and fauna species so that adequate food chains are present
to support game fish. To achieve mesotrophic conditions in the main body of
Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the phosphorus levels in the reservoir's arms should
be maintained at 0.030 to 0.080 mg/l.
Two methods were used to define the phosphorus loadings which can produce
mesotrophic conditions, and therefore the desirable reductions from existing
loadings. Those two methods are described below.
Method 1: Vollenweider Loading Basis
Vollenweider has developed a method for estimating desirable and critical
phosphorus loadings to a lake or reservoir. This method is based on informa-
tion contained in literature on phosphorus loadings, lake morphometry, and
trophic conditions for many lakes. The Vollenweider loading chart is shown
on Figure 9-2. The permissible loading level approximately corresponds to
9-1
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0200
QtS<
S
V
5 0.080
?
S
0050-
•BS!
•W1.W2
•BS2
MATER DUALITY
CRITERION
•F2
FIGURE 9-1
PHOSPHORUS CRITERION RELATED
TO TROPHIC STATUS IN RESERVOIRS
LEGEND
BEAR LAKE
BIG SANDY RESERVOIR
FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
PALISADES RESERVOIR
SEMINOE RESERVOIR
VIVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR
WOODRUFF NARROWS RESERVOIR
STATIONS ARE NUMBERED 1 THROUGH N STARTING AT
THE UPSTREAM STATION. THE SAME STATION MAY BE
LISTED MORE THAN ONCE BECAUSE IT WAS SAMPLED
At DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE YEAR.
REGION BETWEEN LINES INCLUDES 95% OF DATA POINTS,
EXCLUDING THOSE FOR VIVA NAUGHTON RESERVOIR.
EUTROPHIC
MESOTROPHIC
•B3
•P2
F4
OLIGOTROPHIC
• FS
•B?
P3#wp5
•F4 #F5 #P3
P219 fF?
F6.F7.FM W5
83 #F9
•B?
• P4
•B1
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2&0
—I—
250
OfcM
RHtlL
SECCW DISK TRANSPARENCY (INCHES)
-------
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. FLAMING GORGE
(EMPIRICAL!
FLAMING GOUGE IEPAI
.MOOOR
UFF NARROWS.
- PALISADES
BIG
BEAR LAKI
0. I
1 10 100
MEAN DEPTH/MEAN HYDRAULIC RETENTION TIME (METERS/YEAR)
FIGURE 9-2
VOLLENWEIDER
LOADING CHART
CH2M
SSHILL
-------
the eutrophic-mesotrophic boundary, and the desirable loading level approxi-
mately corresponds to the mesotrophic-oligotrophic boundary.
Vollenweider loadings are shown for various reservoirs on Figure 9-2. The
data used for the plots come from EPA's draft report on eutrophication in
each reservoir. They represent estimated loading rates to each reservoir in
1975. As shown in Chapter 5, actual annual phosphorus loadings may deviate
considerably from the average, because annual phosphorus loadings depend
primarily on annual erosion rates, which vary significantly according to the
amount and intensity of rainfall in a particular year. Therefore, the empirical
estimate of the phosphorus loading rate to Flaming Gorge Reservoir from Green
River and Blacks Fork is also shown on Figure 9-2. The empirical estimate is
approximately three times greater than the 1975 loading rate.
The desirable loading rate reduction is shown on Figure 9-2 for Flaming Gorge
Reservoir. The reduction is based on EPA estimates of 1975 loadings to the
reservoir.
Method 2: Concentration Basis
Modeling of the Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir has shown that at the
present time the severity of an algal bloom in a particular year is correlated
with the phosphorus loadings to the reservoir in that year (CH2M HILL, 1975).
The phosphorus stored in the reservoir from previous years does not seem to
promote algal growth in the reservoir at the present time. This condition
may change in the future, however, if the reservoir becomes more eutrophic.
The second method for determining permissible and desirable phosphorus loadings
is based on the conclusion stated above that the severity of an algal bloom
in a particular year may be correlated with the phosphorus loading to the
reservoir in that year. The loadings under this method have been calculated
by the following proportion:
1975 P loading = Desirable or permissible P loadina
1975 maximum P concentration 0.030 mg/l or 0.080 mg/l
DESIRABLE AND PERMISSIBLE PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS
Desirable and permissible phosphorus loadings determined by each of the two
methods are shown for Flaming Gorge Reservoir on Table 9-1. The Vollenweider
method has been used just for the main body of the reservoir, while the
concentration method has been used for the main body and the two arms. A
comparison of the two methods indicates that the concentration method gives
higher estimates for desirable and permissible loadings than does the Vollen-
weider method.
The table shows that the desirable loading rate is exceeded in both arms and
the main body. In order to achieve desirable conditions, existing loadings
to the main body would have to be reduced by 50 to 70 percent, to the Green
River Arm by 90 percent, and to the Blacks Fork Arm by 95 percent.
9-4
-------
Table 9-1
DESIRABLE AND PERMISSIBLE PHOSPHORUS LOADINGS TO FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
(tons/year)
Body of Water
Main Body, Flaming
Gorge Reservoir
(Volienweider
Method)
Main Body, Flaming
Gorge Reservoir
(Concentration
Method)
Green River Arm
(Concentration
Method)
Blacks Fork Arm
(Concentration
Method)
Empirical
Loading (1)
186-201
186-201
321
Desirable
Loading
60
248
95
33
13
Reduction
to Reach
Desirable
Level
126-141(70%)
91-106(50%)
288(90%)
235(95%)
Reduction
to Reach
Permissible Permissible
Loading
115
252
87
34
Level
71-86(40%)
0( 0%)
234(75%)
214(85%)
(1) From Table 5-13.
-------
The table also shows that the permissible loading rate is exceeded in both
arms. In order to achieve permissible conditions, existing loadings to the
Green River Arm would have to be reduced by 75 percent and to the Blacks Fork
Arm by 85 percent.
Finally, the table shows that the main body of the reservoir is in a permissible
condition according to the concentration method. A word of caution is necessary
here, however. The phosphorus concentrations in the two arms average approxi
mately 0.060 mg/l. As conditions become progressively more eutrophic in the
two arms given the existing loadings, phosphorus concentrations will rise
because of a release of phosphorus stored from previous years in the bottom
muds. Higher phosphorus concentrations in the arms will produce higher
loadings from the arms to the main body of the reservoir. Therefore, mainten-
ance of existing phosphorus loadings to the reservoir arms probably cannot
maintain the existing permissible conditions in the main body of the reservoir.
CONTROL MEASURES FOR PHOSPHORUS AND EUTROPHICATION
Various optional ways to control either phosphorus levels or eutrophication
are available. The goal is to reduce the algae in the reservoirs. Controlling
phosphorus reduces the cause, while working on the algae treats the symptoms
of eutrophication.
Thirteen options for management of phosphorus are discussed in the material
that follows. In each case, there is a discussion of what the control is
specifically directed to, its costs and benefits, how effective it might be,
who should carry it out, and what its environmental and social impacts are.
An outline format similar to Chapter 8 is used consistently. The 13 controls
that are discussed are listed on Table 9-2. There is no specific reason for
the order given.
Five of the options listed on Table 9-2 are directed at the control of erosion.
These options can reduce suspended solids concentrations in the streams as
well as phosphorus loadings to the reservoir. The five options (numbered 2,
3, 4, 7, and 8 on Table 9-2) are considered again in the next chapter for the
control of suspended sediment.
9-6
-------
Table 9-2
WAYS TO MANAGE EUTROPHICATION CAUSES AND EFFECTS
1. Require phosphorus reductions in point source discharges, such as municipal
treatment facilities.
2. Institute range management actions designed to reduce erosion in Lower
Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek.
3. Construct channel modifications in Middle and Lower Bitter Creek and
tributaries to reduce erosion.
4. Construct channel improvements and sedimentation ponds in Upper Bitter
Creek, Muddy Creek, and Little Muddy Creek to reduce erosion.
5. Institute individual waste disposal management program designed to
minimize drain field failures.
6. Treat reservoirs with algicides, alum, or fly ash.
7. Require erosion and manure control for all agricultural activities.
8. Require erosion control for all construction and mining activities.
9. Establish specific requirements for proposed water resource development
projects to ensure consideration of future water quality impacts.
10. Initiate a study of eutrophication in Palisades Reservoir on a basin
basis.
11. Require conversion to nonphosphate detergents where a discharge to
ground or surface water may result.
12. Adopt phosphorus standards in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
13. No action.
9-7
-------
OPTION 1
REDUCE POINT SOURCE PHOSPHORUS DISCHARGES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
About 12 percent of the phosphorus reaching the two arms of Flaming Gorge
Reservoir enters the streams through discharge from municipal treatment
facilities. About half this phosphorus is of fecal origin and the other half
is from the use of detergents containing phosphates.
At present there is no requirement for treatment for phosphorus removal in
wastewater discharges in the study area.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The requirement could be established that all wastewater treatment facilities,
whether municipal or industrial, having a discharge permit must be required
to reduce phosphorus to 2 mg/l in their discharges. An effluent concentration
of 2 mg/l is attainable by alum or lime addition to the secondary process.
This effluent limitation would apply to all discharges, regardless of their
locations.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
For the Flaming Gorge Reservoir system and its tributaries, the total phos-
phorus loading from point sources is about 66 tons per year. A reduction to
2 mg/l in the effluent by additional processes of treatment facilities is
estimated to reduce the total loading by about 53 tons per year.
EXPECTED COST
The costs of this option are the capital and annual operation and maintenance
costs involved with adding chemical treatment processes at each of the treat-
ment facilities. Unit costs are given on Figure 9-3 for initial capital
costs and total annual costs, and the costs estimated for individual treatment
facilities in the study area are summarized on Table 9-3.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The benefits of phosphate reduction would accrue to the recreational users of
the area's surface waters and to the tourist industry.
WHO PAYS
The capital cost for adding the necessary treatment facilities would be grant
eligible since they are required for water quality considerations. The
taxpayers at large would pay for a major portion of the cost with the local
taxpayers picking up the remaining share. Annual operating expenses would be
borne by the users of the sewer system.
9-8
-------
1000
500
to
o
X
M
K 100
UJ
o
u
50
10.
0. 1
4
f
>V
*
?y
/
~
/
•
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/
*7
0.5 1.0 5.0 10.0
AVERAGE DAILY FLOW (M6D)
FIGURE 9-3
COST FOR PHOSPHORUS
REMOVAL FROM
POINT SOURCES
-------
Table 9-3
COSTS OF POINT SOURCE PHOSPHORUS CONTROL
Facility(1)
Rock Springs
Green River
Jamestown-Rio
Vista
South Superior
Granger
Kemmerer-
Diamondville
Bridger Valley
Total
Existing Average
Daily Flow
(mgd)
1.5
0.7
0.1
0.06
0.04
0.7
0.4
Design Flow
(Year 2000)
(mgd)
3.0
1.2
0.1
0.2
0.1
1.0
0,7
Initial
Capital Cost
$160,000
85,000
15,000
17,000
15,000
75,000
58,000
$425,000
Annual
Total Cost
$280,000
120,000
10,000
12,000
10,000
100,000
70,000
$602,000
(1) It is assumed that smaller municipal dischargers will join into the larger districts.
(2) Sum of annual operation and maintenance costs and amortized capital costs (20 years).
-------
WHO ACTS
SWWQPA would be responsible for recommending to the State that a phosphorus
standard be applied to the discharges in the 208 planning area. The State
Department of Environmental Quality has the responsibility for making the
official action and for administering it. Monitoring of effluent levels of
phosphorus would be done along with the continuous monitoring program for all
treatment facilities. EPA could act in the funding capacity for construction
grants, and the State would administer the construction grant program as it
now does for the wastewater treatment facilities as a whole. Individual
municipalities would be responsible for carrying out the planning, design,
and construction of their own independent facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The general environmental impacts associated with phosphorus reductions would
apply to this action.
Adding a chemical treatment process to each treatment facility could require
additional land to be occupied at the treatment site and may require additional
considerations for the chemical sludges generated by the process.
Treating phosphorus in municipal discharges would result in a long-term
commitment to use the chemicals involved and to carry out the process.
There are no outstanding social impacts of this action.
9-11
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OPTION 2
RANGE MANAGEMENT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Erosion was identified in Chapter 5 as the major source of phosphorus to
Flaming Gorge Reservoir . Erosion control can lead to a reduction of the
phosphorus loading to the reservoir. One option for erosion control is
management of the range to prevent overgrazing and loss of vegetation which
protects against erosion.
Three reaches tributary to Flaming Gorge Reservoir have high phosphorus
loading rates (see Figure 5-9) and generally poor range conditions and mode'"
to heavy erosion rates (see Figure 5-10). These are Lower Muddy Creek,
Little Muddy Creek and Killpecker Creek. A reasonable explanation for the
poor range conditions in these reaches is overgrazing. These three reaches
are probably the areas where grazing management can have the greatest effect
on phosphorus loadings to the reservoir. Present phosphorus loadings from
erosion in these three reaches totals 130 tons per year, which is 35 percent
of the estimated loading from all sources to the reservoir in 1976.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Several alternatives are possible under the option of grazing management.
Four alternatives identified for the above three reaches are temporary fencing
off of sections of the stream, pumping water from streams to watering holes
away from the highly erosive areas, willow seeding to produce a riparian
habitat, and deferred grazing.
Reduction in the number of wild animals in the Green River Basin may not
significantly decrease erosion rates, because approximately 90 percent of the
wild animals are browsers rather than grazers. In contrast, cattle and sheep
are grazers and can have a major impact on vegetative cover in the area.
Management options have been analyzed on a reach-by-reach basis. In this
case, where four alternatives appear feasible in the three critical reaches,
further studies should be initiated to pinpoint which of the alternatives is
best for specific locations within a reach. These studies could take the
form of environmental statements on grazing.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Land in the three reaches with poor grazing conditions and moderate to heavy
erosion rates averages approximately 20 percent vegetative cover. Most of
the remainder of the Green River watershed averages 60 percent cover or
better, even though the climate is arid. Decreases in erosion and phosphorus
loading rates have been estimated from the Universal Soil Loss equation using
various values for cover.
Erosion rates are estimated to decrease by 38 percent if cover is increased
from 20 percent to 40 percent, and to decrease by 63 percent if cover is
increased from 20 percent to 60 percent. The estimated reductions in erosion
9-12
-------
correspond to the phosphorus reductions shown on Table 9-4. The empirical
phosphorus loadings to the Blacks Fork Arm are estimated at 248 tons. Grazing
management and revegetation in Lower Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek may
reduce this loading by up to 71 tons. Crazing management in Killpecker Creek
would have a minimal effect on phosphorus loadings to the Green River Arm,
which were estimated empirically at 321 tons. Killpecker originally appeared
to be a good area for grazing management because of poor range conditions and
high phosphorus loading rates. However, Killpecker watershed is small and
the total loading from erosion delivered by the creek is only 8 tons per
year.
EXPECTED COST
A study should be initiated on the feasibilities of the four alternatives for
the Lower Muddy Creek reach and the Little Muddy Creek reach. A proposal has
been submitted by BLM for a grazing environmental statement in these reaches;
an estimate of the cost of this study has not been made yet. It is difficult
to anticipate the results of this study, and therefore difficult to estimate
the expected costs of control measures. However, the alternatives are described
below in order to indicate the amount of effort needed to control erosion and
the magnitude of costs to be expected.
The length of Muddy Creek in the Lower Muddy Creek reach is approximately
30 miles, and the length of Little Muddy Creek and Albert Creek is approxi-
mately 110 miles. To fence off both reaches section by section would cost
approximately $600,000. Fencing would be required in order to establish a
riparian habitat of willows or other phreatophytes or in order to prevent
cattle and sheep from reaching the streambed. It would also support the
alternative of watering holes by forcing animals to water at the holes
rather than directly from the streams. Therefore, fencing would be used
under three of the four alternatives.
Pumping of water to watering holes could probably be accomplished most inexpen-
sively by windmills. Winds are generally strong and consistent during the
high flow period in spring when most of the pumping would be done. A windmill
arrangement is estimated to cost approximately $12,000 if it had to pump up
to 0.25 mile from the stream, or $5,000 if a well were used. Some cost
elements are as follows: mill and tower, $1,650; feed line (from stream),
$8,000; well (as option), $1,000 to $2,000; miscellaneous and labor, $2,350.
It is estimated that up to 50 windmills could be needed along the Lower Muddy
Creek and Little Muddy Creek reaches. Therefore, capital costs are estimated
at $250,000 to $600,000. Operation and maintenance costs are estimated at
5 percent of those figures per year, or $25,000 to $60,000 per year.
Willow seeding is a relatively insignificant cost. However, small dams or
drop structures would have to be built in order to slow stream velocities and
create the proper environment for a riparian habitat. The stream gradient in
either reach is not particularly steep. For example, in the Lower Muddy
Creek reach, the gradient averages approximately 15 feet per mile. Costs
from dams or drop structures are not estimated at this time because of a lack
of adequate information.
9-13
-------
Table 9-4
PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION BY RANGE MANAGEMENT
Reach
Lower Muddy Creek
Little Muddy Creek
Ktllpecker Creek
Phosphorus Reduction By
Increasing Vegetative
Cover From 20 Percent To
40 Percent (tons/year)
Along Along Mainstem
Mainstem and Tributaries
8
21
2
12
31
3
Phosphorus Reduction By
Increasing Vegetative
Cover From 20 Percent To
60 Percent (tons/year)
Along Along Mainstem
Mainstem and Tributaries
14
34
3
27
50
5
-------
Reduction in the number of grazing permits could have a detrimental economic
impact on ranchers. The economic impact is difficult to assess accurately,
however.
A cost estimate has been made for a typical project. This project would
include fencing off the most critical erosion areas and pumping water to
watering holes. The approximate annual cost over a 20-year period is $125,000.
Further studies should be made to estimate more accurately the cost of the
alternatives in the critical reaches.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
People who use Flaming Gorge Reservoir for recreational purposes would benefit
from a reduction in algal growth. Those services related to recreational
activities, such as gasoline stations and restaurants, would also benefit
from good water quality in the reservoir. In addition, fisheries would
benefit from a reduction in suspended solids.
WHO PAYS
The cost of the grazing study would be borne by BLM. The distribution of
costs for erosion control could be determined in the study.
BLM and Union Pacific administer most of the land in the Killpecker Creek,
Little Muddy Creek, and Lower Muddy Creek drainages. The extent of the
"checkerboard" pattern within the study area is shown on Figure 9-4. In the
area shaded on the figure, there are alternating sections of Union Pacific
and public land. Therefore, this option would involve not only public agencies,
but also Union Pacific, and costs may be incurred by both.
An alternative means of financing this option is to place the cost burdens on
those who benefit from the use of the reservoir. Costs of Flaming Gorge Dam
and Reservoir are allocated according to estimated benefits on Table 9-5.
The users with major benefits are power generation, recreation, and irrigation.
A scheme for allocating phosphorus control costs to each of these user groups
is presented below.
The major beneficiary is power generation. The power plant at the reservoir
is under the control of the Bureau of Reclamation. Revenues from the power
plant go into the Upper Basin Fund for repayment of the dam and reservoir
facilities, for operation and maintenance of the power plant, and for funding
of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Project. Funding for the project
is authorized by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (PL 93-230).
Three and three-quarters percent of the total budget for the project comes
from the Upper Basin Fund.
A funding process to pay for eutrophication controls could be set up parallel
to that for salinity control. Control of eutrophication in Flaming Gorge
Reservoir may be necessary in order to meet the interim goal of PL 92-500 of
fishable/swimmable waters by 1983. Expenditures for recreation, fish, and
wildlife are authorized under Section 8 of the Colorado River Storage Project
Act (PL 84-485). Erosion control projects may fall under that section since
9-15
-------
w
SCALE IH MILES
FIGURE 9-1
THE "CHECKERBOARD" AREA
CH2M
-------
Table 9-5
ALLOCATION OF COSTS, FLAMING GORGE UNIT
Use
Power
Irrigation
Recreation, fish, and wildlife
Other
Total Cost through June 30, 1976
Cost Allocation
($1000's)
$44,437 ( 57%)
16, 662 ( 22%)
16, 395 ( 21%)
225 ( 0%)
$77,719(100%)
(1)
(1) Bureau of Reclamation. 1976. Twentieth annual report, Colorado River
Storage Project and participating projects, fiscal year 1976.
9-17
-------
they can help preserve the reservoir for the stated uses. If that section of
the law does not apply, Congress could pass a Flaming Gorge Reservoir Eutro-
phication Control Act, which would be the equivalent of the Colorado River
Basin Salinity Control Act {PL 93-320) and which would authorize the use of
Upper Basin Funds for erosion control projects. Additional revenues from
higher power rates and additional Federal appropriations to the Bureau of
Reclamation could go into the fund to pay for the erosion control projects.
A second major user group of Flaming Gorge Reservoir is the recreationalist.
This group is presently being charged for overnight camping in the Flaming
Gorge National Recreation Area. This action is authorized under PL 90-540,
which is the enabling act for Flaming Gorge Reservoir, and PL 93-303, which
is the Land and Water Conservation Act. The collected fees can be used for
development and administration of the recreation area's facilities.
In order to make recreationalists pay for erosion control projects, two
amendments would have to be added to PL 90-540. Under one amendment, additional
funds would be generated by charging users fees for boat launching or picnic
use and for charging entrance fees into the recreation area. The second
amendment would allow funds to be used for erosion control projects. At
present, funds can be used only for development and administration of the
recreation area's facilities.
The final user group is irrigators. Although no irrigation rights presently
exist for the storage of water in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the mechanism is
available for charges for storage under the Colorado River Storage Project
Act (PL 84-485) . Revenues would go into the Upper Basin Fund and may be able
to be used for erosion control projects.
WHO ACTS
The recommended initial action is a grazing environmental statement by BLM on
Lower Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek. Responsibilities for erosion
control could be determined in this study.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The BLM study itself would have no environmental or social impacts. Management
alternatives proposed in the study may have significant environmental or
social impacts; these would be addressed in that study.
9-18
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OPTION 3
CHANNEL MODIFICATIONS IN MIDDLE AND LOWER BITTER CREEK
TO CONTROL EROSION
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Middle and Lower Bitter Creek reaches are not in areas of moderate or
heavy general erosion rates (see Figure 5-6). However, a rapidly deepening
stream channel and sloughing banks are visual indicators that severe vertical
erosion is occurring in these reaches. Furthermore, suspended solids concen-
trations as high as 43,600 mg/l have been recorded in these reaches. These
suspended solids loadings are one of the factors for fisheries use impairment
in the Lower Green River reach.
As shown on Figure 9-5, these two reaches contain the most concentrated human
activity in the study area. The naturally meandering stream is pinched
between the Union Pacific Railroad, Interstate 80, and Rock Springs urban
development. Channel straightening has been a common practice where meanders
in the river have endangered structures or private property. When channels
are straightened, stream velocities are increased and vertical erosion can
take place. This vertical erosion also encourages sloughing from the banks.
The increased flow velocities may also have contributed to flood problems in
Rock Springs. According to the Type IV study for the Green River Basin,
annual flood damages attributed to Bitter Creek amount to $37,000.
There appears to be a serious local erosion problem in the Middle and Lower
Bitter Creek reaches. With the growth of the Rock Springs area, this problem
is likely to become even worse in the future. Undeveloped property along the
creek below Rock Springs is presently being offered for development.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The specific action is to carry out the necessary feasibility and predesign
studies for channel stabilization using approaches such as construction of
drop structures in the channel, channel bank protection, or channel reshaping.
Drop structures are small dams or weirs placed at intervals in the stream to
create a flatter gradient and to provide scour and erosion protection where
the stored-up head is lost. Channel reshaping requires resloping banks so
they are less easily eroded. Bank protection can be provided by riprap. The
required study should determine the feasibility of using such approaches and
should determine how many drop structures would be needed along the approxi-
mately 25 miles of stream in the Middle and Lower Bitter Creek reaches. The
study would include both the Middle and Lower Bitter Creek reaches, as well
as all tributaries to them.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Phosphorus loadings from general erosion were estimated empirically in Chapter 5.
This source was estimated to contribute only 46 tons of phosphorus per year
to Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which is less than 10 percent of the empirically
estimated total loading to the reservoir. However, local erosion in these
two reaches is also contributing phosphorus and sediment to the creek. The
importance of this source is unknown.
9-19
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\
I | UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD
I-0O
scale in miles
• I8WBm *Tr 1
MIDDLE AND
LOWER BITTER
CREEK REACHES
I
r A
\
FIGURE 9-5
LOCATION OF THE INTERSTATE
HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD IN
THE MIDDLE AND LOWER
BITTER CREEK REACHES
\«VA\Ul\
-------
Better water quality monitoring in these two reaches can give a more precise
measurement of the loadings from general and local erosion. This monitoring
should be a part of the feasibility study. For the purposes of this report,
control of erosion in these reaches is assumed to reduce phosphorus loadings
by as much as 46 tons per year. This value may be an underestimate because
of the lack of information on loadings from local erosion.
expected cost
Costs of this option are divided into two categories: the estimated cost for
carrying out the necessary studies and the actual design and construction
costs for channel modifications.
The cost for doing the studies could range from $20,000 to $100,000, depending
upon the level at which the studies were carried out.
Costs for the drop structures themselves are estimated at about $8,000 each,
assuming a 30-foot wide channel and a 5-foot drop per structure. Up to 100
such structures could be used in this project area. There are no anticipated
annual OSM costs for this option.
Channel reshaping and bank protection is estimated at $128,000 per mile,
based on a generalized channel cross section 30 feet wide and 20 feet deep,
with 1-to-5 foot flow depth. If channel banks were reshaped to 1: 1 slope
with riprap on 2: 1 slope for 5-foot flow depth, the above unit cost would
apply. If 50 miles of channel were modified, the capital cost would be about
$6.4 million. Annual O&M costs are estimated at 2.5 percent of the capital
cost, or $160,000 per year. The annual cost over a 20-year period is $758,000
(assuming a 6-7/8 percent interest rate) .
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Recreational users of the surface waters would benefit from reduced phosphorus
levels and algae levels in the reservoirs, as would those who are in business
associated with tourism and recreation. Property owners along Bitter Creek
in the project area would benefit from increased channel stability and the
lessened danger of bank erosion. In addition, with proper flood control
modifications, benefits of up to $37,000 per year could be realized.
WHO PAYS
Those who may have caused local erosion through channel straightening in
Middle and Lower Bitter Creek are Union Pacific Railroad, State and Federal
highway departments, and private developers. It is unlikely that any of
these interests could be made accountable for previous erosion because none
of them violated any erosion control laws and because previous water quality
monitoring has not been adequate to allocate erosion loads to the various
interests in the area. The costs of the feasibility studies may be financed
through continuing 208 grants. It is assumed the BLM would not have the
funds to do feasibility studies in the Bitter Creek drainage because of its
efforts in the Muddy Creek drainage. The costs associated with the design
9-21
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and construction of control structures could be paid for in either of the
ways shown under the previous option.
WHO ACTS
The designated 208 agency could subcontract the feasibility study to BLM,
DEQ, or a private consulting firm. The study could determine who should
carry out the design and construction. Permits for any control structures
would have to be obtained from the Corps of Engineers through the Dredge-
and-Fill Permits Program (Section 404 of PL 92-500). DEQ is authorized to
review the permit applications for their impacts on water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
An environmental impact of this measure would be the reduction of phosphorus
and consequent reduction of algae in the Flaming Corge Reservoir system.
Another positive environmental impact is the benefit to the stream corridor
due to increased channel stability. Reduced erosion would result, and there
would be less loss of land.
There would be short-term adverse impacts during construction and the commit-
ment of resources such as concrete and steel for the construction of the
necessary facilities.
A social impact of this option is the need to involve a Federal agency (BLM)
and the Union Pacific Railroad to jointly carry out the cooperative action.
Union Pacific is involved because of the alternating ownership of land sec-
tions with BLM in much of the project area. With this ownership pattern,
many of the drop structures could be on Union Pacific land.
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OPTION 4
STRUCTURAL CONTROLS IN UPPER BITTER CREEK,
MUDDY CREEK, AND LITTLE MUDDY CREEK
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Option 2 considered range management in Lower Muddy Creek and Little Muddy
Creek in order to control the high production of sediments and high phosphorus
loadings in the two reaches. The political difficulty with that option was
that it required range management on lands owned by Union Pacific Railorad.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The option provides an alternative to Option 2 that may be politically more
feasible. The difference is that this option is directed towards structural-
type work on public lands as opposed to revegetation and fencing on public
and private lands. This option considers the same two reaches covered in
Option 2, namely Lower Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek. In addition, this
option covers Upper Bitter Creek, where overgrazing is not a problem but
where high production of sediments and high loadings of phosphorus occur.
This option requires feasibility studies on structural-type channel improvements
for the slowing of erosion and off-line sedimentation ponds for the removal
of sediment loads from the creeks.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
All three reaches are in areas of moderately high general erosion (see Figure 5-6).
Therefore, erosion control is likely to produce significant reductions in
sediment and phosphorus loads carried by the creeks in these areas. Empirical
estimates of phosphorus loadings generated by general erosion show that
erosion control can reduce phosphorus loadings from Upper Bitter Creek by as
much as 70 tons per year and from Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek by as
much as 121 tons per year.
Local erosion may also be occurring in Upper Bitter Creek and Lower Muddy
Creek. As shown on Figure 9-6, the railroad runs along much of Upper Bitter
Creek and Lower Muddy Creek. Channelization has taken place in these reaches
in order to protect the railroad bed from meanders in the two creeks. Accel-
erated vertical erosion and bank sloughing are caused by channelization in
the study area. The impact of local erosion on sediment and phosphorus loads
in the two reaches is difficult to assess because of the lack of adequate
Water quality information.
Suspended solids reductions will occur under this option as well as phosphorus
•"eductions.
EXPECTED COST
The costs of the structural controls would be determined as part of the
feasibility studies. The cost of doing the studies for Upper Bitter Creek
could range from $50,000 to $150,000, depending upon the degree of detail
9-23
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SCALE IK MILES
.J
--JSKSb
s<
\tai
UPPER
kas&s
OWER
r
n
tMMUlm
FIGURE 9-6
LOCATION OF THE RAILROAD
IN THE UPPER BITTER CREEK
AND LOWER MUDDY CREEK REACHES
-------
with which the study was done. If dams were part of the study, the cost
would likely be higher due to the increased engineering investigations needed
for dam sites. The study in the Little Muddy and Lower Muddy drainage would
be included in the grazing environmental statement planned by BLM. No cost
estimates have been made yet for that study.
Construction costs could be in the range of $800,000 for up to 100 drop
structures to several million dollars with dams or extensive channel
modifications.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Those who benefit are those who use surface waters in the area for recreational
purposes and those who are in business associated with recreation and tourism.
Additional benefits may be gained for fisheries, which show use impairment
due to high suspended solids concentrations in all three reaches considered
under this option.
who pays
BLM would pay for the feasibility study in the Lower Muddy and Little Muddy.
The feasibility study in Upper Bitter Creek would come out of the continuing
208 program. A means of financing the design and construction of the control
structures is presented under Option 2.
who acts
BLM would carry out this option in the Lower Muddy and Little Muddy areas
through the grazing environmental statement. The designated 208 agency would
carry out the option in Upper Bitter Creek. If SWWQPA does not continue
after the completion of this plan, either DEQ or the Wyoming Conservation
Commission could take over the Upper Bitter Creek study. Technical assistance
could be provided by SCS, BLM, and other agencies.
Permits for any structural controls would have to be obtained from the Corps
Engineers through the Dredge-and-Fill Program (Section 404 of PL 92-500),
As already noted, DEQ is authorized to review these permit applications for
their impacts on water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
There would be no impacts associated with the study itself, but the environ-
mental impacts of the structural actions that could result would be those
involved with construction of various facilities.
The beneficial impacts would be reduced algae production in the Flaming Gorge
Reservoir system and increased channel stability in the upper part of the
basin involved.
A social impact would include the need to involve Union Pacific Railroad
along with the Federal agency carrying out the necessary studies, since the
railroad owns much land in both areas.
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OPTION 5
MANAGEMENT OF INDIVIDUAL WASTE DISPOSAL
PROBLEM STATEMENT
In areas such as portions of Bridger Valley and in the urbanizing areas
around Rock Springs and Green River, much of the development has occurred
using individual waste disposal methods such as septic tanks and drain fields.
Most of the trailer parks and some of the subdivisions have developed central
waste disposal methods for the individual development, but many septic tanks
still exist. There are about 6,000 septic tank units now throughout the
three-county area, and between 200 and 400 are likely to be added each year
for the foreseeable future.
Because septic tanks are so commonly used and because they are buried in the
ground out of sight, they are frequently taken for granted by homeowners.
But a septic tank drain field system is a fairly complex treatment system
designed to handle potentially harmful wastes. Proper design, installation,
and operation of such systems is extremely important for the protection of
public health because contaminants from the septic tank drain field system
can enter water supplies in shallow wells and cause disease or sickness in
individual's drinking water.
At present, Sweetwater, Lincoln, and Uinta Counties have no programs for the
management of individual waste systems. The three counties rely primarily on
the State Health Department inspector who has jurisdiction over Albany,
Carbon, Sweetwater, Uinta, Lincoln, and Teton Counties. With one State
inspector for all that area, obviously not much can be done except respond to
urgent problems. Sweetwater County has a sanitarian who responds to problems
on a variety of subjects having to do with public health.
Records kept by the Sweetwater County Sanitarian from January 1975 through
July 1977 (33 months) show about one-half of all complaints received (98 out
of 200) pertained to sewage, usually septic tanks. He has travelled some
25,000 miles in that period while making up to 250 field inspections. He
estimates that perhaps again as many problems exist than he has no knowledge
of, largely because many people do not know whom to call.
The situation in the other two counties is worse because the State inspector's
office is even further away and so he is not as likely to be called.
Adequate State regulations exist for the management of individual waste
systems, and the State has encouraged individual counties in Wyoming to take
on the responsibility for managing this program. No funds have been made
available, however, at either the State or county level for implementing such
a program.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Each of the counties could pass an ordinance establishing an individual waste
disposal management program. This program could consist of two parts: (1)
proper design and construction review and inspection, and (2) operating
inspections.
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The county can adopt the State standards or develop its own standards for
proper design of individual waste disposal systems and then require that all
systems be designed according to those standards. The State standards are
outlined in Chapter III of the Wyoming Water Quality Rules and Regulations.
Amplification of the standards and implementation procedures are presented in
the Manual of Septic Tank Practice by the U.S. Public Health Service and in
the Recommended Standards for Sewage Works developed by the Great Lakes-
Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers.
Within the State standards is wording which allows the counties to make
design criteria stricter than those presented in the State standards. The
208 Plan for Teton County, Wyoming, has placed a major emphasis on septic
tanks and has developed stricter criteria suitable for that county. These
criteria may be valuable as guidelines for design of septic tanks in Sweetwater,
Lincoln, and Uinta Counties.
During construction of each waste disposal system, the county sanitarian
could inspect the site to make sure that the installation is in keeping with
the requirements of the design. This inspection would ensure that each
individual system is set up in the beginning to maximize treatment capability
and protect public health. In the 208 Plan for Teton County, it was noted
that contractors and homeowners often sought to cut expenses in the construc-
tion of septic tank systems and in the process fell short of meeting the
State requirements.
To make sure that the intention of good design and installation is carried
out in practice, each septic tank would be inspected by a qualified county
official on a regular interval between 1 and 10 years, depending upon factors
mentioned below. These operating inspections would check that the drain
field was operating properly so that liquid was not coming to the surface and
would also check the depth of sludge relative to the depth of liquid in the
septic tank itself. Treatment efficiencies are greatly impaired in septic
tanks when sludge reaches a depth greater than one-fourth of the liquid
depth. Factors governing the frequency of re-inspection would include the
following:
¦ Where septic tanks are used for houses or other uses on more than
2 acres of land, operating inspections need only be done once every
10 years because the risk and likelihood of creating public health
problems is very low.
¦ Where soil conditions and proper design have been shown to be
effective in preventing risk of contamination from septic tank
operations, re-inspections need only occur at periods between 5 and
10 years, as the county sanitarian judges most appropriate.
¦ For new installations and for installations in relatively poor
soils or in high density locations, whether existing or new, re-inspec-
tions should take place every 3 years until the sanitarian is
satisfied that a longer period of time is suitable for that particular
installation.
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¦ Septic tank systems which use pumps, blowers or other mechanical
devices should be inspected once a year because of the greater
likelihood of failure.
The county sanitarian would develop guidelines for each of the two parts of
the management program to ensure that everyone involved understands the
requirements.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
The program described above should eliminate all but a very few problems
associated with bacterial contamination of domestic wells. In addition, the
program could result in a reduction of phosphate levels delivered to streams
through ground water by 10 to 50 percent, depending upon specific conditions.
With 6,000 septic tank units installed in the present three-county area,
there is a potential of 10 to 30 tons per year of phosphorus to be delivered
to the ground water systems. Assuming only 20 percent of that phosphorus
does actually reach the surface body and assuming a 30 percent reduction with
proper management techniques, up to 2 tons per year less phosphorus would be
delivered to the surface waters.
EXPECTED COST
Costs of this option are divided into two categories: construction and
operation costs to individual homeowners and fees for the various permits
that would be required.
Development and enforcement of proper design and installation standards for
individual waste disposal systems will add to the cost of building such a
system. For example, requirements for some installations are likely to
require larger drain fields for septic tanks in some cases than are now used,
or certain installations may have soil conditions that would require installing
two drain fields and alternating use of them on an annual basis. Because of
the extreme variability of these potential additional costs, no estimate can
be made of them at this time.
The program described above could be set up to be self-supporting financially
through a fee structure. Fees might range from $25 to $75 for initial site
evaluation, $25 to $50 for a construction and inspection permit, and special
fees of up to $150 or $200 as special variances or conditions require. In
addition, a re-inspection fee would be charged that might vary from $10 to
$50. All except the re-inspection fee would be charged one time only when
the initial system was being installed. The re-inspection fee would re-occur
to individual homeowners every 1 to 10 years as described above.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The public as a whole would be protected against public health hazards through
implementation of an individual waste disposal management program. The
public health hazards are those associated with bacterial contamination of
well water.
9-28
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In addition, people who use the surface waters in the area for recreational
purposes would also benefit from potential reduction in algae and aquatic
weed growth.
WHO PAYS
The costs associated with additional construction standards would be paid by
individual owners or purchasers. The costs for permits and fees would be
paid by the developer and passed on to the individual homeowners. The county's
program would be self-supporting through collection of fees.
WHO ACTS
Regulations for all septic tank systems are controlled by DEQ under authority
granted by the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act of 1973 (Sections 35-502.18
and 35-502.19). However, the authority over the administration and enforcement
of the State regulations has been given to local officials. There is a need
In the three counties within the study area to designate clearly those local
officials who are responsible for the management of individual waste systems.
The county would be responsible for enacting necessary ordinances to establish
and carry out the program. A county health department could be established
'n Sweetwater County. A regional health department could be established
through the Uinta-Lincoln Association of Governments or the Lincoln and Uinta
Counties individually could establish county health departments. Whether or
not health departments are established, county or regional sanitarians could
be employed to carry out the reviews and inspections of the management
Program.
There is a possibility that the State of Wyoming might enact legislation at
s°me time to establish a similar kind of program, but currently it appears
Preferable that the action be taken at the county level.
environmental and social impacts
The environmental impacts of this management action would be the beneficial
Protection of ground and surface water bodies from contamination through
individual waste disposal practices. Individual persons in Southwestern
Wyoming would have, increased protection against bacterial contamination in
their shallow wells.
Carrying out the action would not cause any further disruption of the environ-
ment than is now present and might prevent problems associated with sewage
breakout from the drain fields.
implementing this action would increase the amount of government involvement
'n individual private lives and would increase to a small degree the cost of
"Uilding a new home.
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OPTION 6
IN-LAKE MANAGEMENT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Excessive algal growth is causing use impairment on several reservoirs in the
study area. The prominent example is Flaming Gorge Reservoir, where eutrophica"
tion has caused detrimental changes in fish populations and clogging of the
waters. Serious algal problems have also occurred in Woodruff Narrows Reser-
voir, where in-lake management techniques have been used in an attempt to
alleviate the water quality problems. As shown on Figure 9-1, phosphorus
concentrations in every reservoir in the study area exceeded the recommended
water quality criterion. Therefore, the potential exists for undesirable
algal growth in all reservoirs in the study. Only in Bear Lake, which lies
just to the west of the study area and which receives inflow from the Bear
River, are phosphorus concentrations in the surface water less than the
criterion.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The management alternatives discussed under this option would promise only
short-term effects. However, they can provide a temporary reduction in algal
populations and make a reservoir usable while phosphorus control techniques
with long-term effects are being implemented. Because of the cost and potential
environmental impacts, this option should be restricted to reservoirs with
high recreational use and severe algal problems. The only reservoir to
qualify under these conditions is Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
In-reservoir management would be aimed at controlling excessive blooms of
planktonic algae, the free-floating algae which clog up the surface waters of
Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Few alternatives are available for control of
planktonic algae in a large water body. Alum has been used successfully for
nutrient deactivation and copper sulfate has been used successfully as an
algal toxin. Fly ash has been tested on several small Indiana lakes and has
also successfully removed phosphorus from the water.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Alum treatment or fly ash treatment can remove phosphorus from the surface
waters and make it unavailable for algal growth. Alum can quantitatively
remove inorganic phosphorus, and therefore phosphorus concentrations can be
reduced below the criterion if alum is applied when most of the phosphorus is
in the inorganic state. This condition occurs in early spring before much
algal growth occurs. The removal capabilities of the fly ash depend on its
chemical content and can be predicted only from bench tests.
Alum has the capability of binding the phosphorus up in the bottom muds
forever. Phosphorus once removed by alum should not return to the waters
except under unusual conditions of pH. Alum has been used effectively for
removing phosphorus from wastewater and from small lakes.
9-30
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Copper sulfate does not remove phosphorus from a lake system. It is an
algacide which causes algae to break up and sink. Phosphorus is released
from the dead algae and is available for uptake during future blooms. The
reason for using an algacide is to destroy the immediate algal bloom, and not
to prevent future ones.
Treatment by any of the three materials is directed at the symptoms rather
than the causes of eutrophication. The most important cause is a high phos-
phorus loading to Flaming Gorge Reservoir from the tributaries. None of the
treatment alternatives affects these phosphorus loadings to the reservoir.
EXPECTED COST
Assuming an area of about 8,000 acres is treated (about 20 percent of the
reservoir surface), the cost would be about $1,630,000 per year. This breaks
down as follows: manpower and barges, $400,000; alum, $1,200,000; copper
sulfate, $30,000. The estimate is based on applying alum in spring to precipi-
tate phosphorus and copper sulfate in fall to kill algae when blooms occur.
The alum dose rate is 0.5 dry ton per acre.
benefits and to whom
People who use Flaming Gorge Reservoir for recreational purposes would benefit
from a reduction in algal weed growth. Services associated with recreational
activities would also benefit.
Who pays
Flam ing Gorge Reservoir is located in a national recreation area. Therefore,
the costs of treatment would probably be borne by the Federal Government.
Some funding may be available through the "Clean Lakes" program, as provided
by Section 314 of Public Law 92-500.
WHO ACTS
Action would be initiated by the U.S. Forest Service, the agency supervising
the Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area. Assistance on in-lake treatment
could be obtained from Environmental Protection Agency staff who have extensive
experience in the field.
Because of the abundance of fly ash from the two power plants and coal-burning
industries in the area, the Environmental Protection Agency should initiate a
project on the feasibility of using the ash for phosphorus deactivation in
the reservoir. This study could possibly be included in the "Clean Lakes"
program.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
Addition of alum, fly ash, or copper sulfate would increase salinity in the
reservoir. The increase would be slight if treatment is applied only to the
areas of concentrated algal growth in the Blacks Fork and Green River Arms.
However, if phosphorus loadings to the reservoir are not controlled, areas of
9-31
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concentrated growth will expand, larger areas of treatment will be necessary,
and salinity increases will grow in importance. The magnitude of the salinity
increases from in-lake treatment could be estimated by EPA after experiments
involving water and algae from the reservoir.
Treatment would add undesirable chemical species to the water, such as sulfate,
copper, and other metals. The initial impact would occur in the sediment,
where metals may reach toxic concentrations and affect bottom fauna and
bottom feeders. The settled alum or fly ash floe would also affect the
bottom fauna and bottom feeders.
Areas with no dissolved oxygen are likely to spread in the reservoir if
treatment with copper sulfate is selected. Algae killed by copper sulfate
would decompose and consume oxygen. Anoxic conditions restrict habitat
availability for game fish and cause changes in bottom fauna.
Success with in-lake treatment can lead to the sometimes erroneous conclusion
that the water quality problem has been solved. In many cases, in-lake
treatment has only delayed or weakly disguised the problem.
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Copper sulfate does not remove phosphorus from a lake system. It is an
algacide which causes algae to break up and sink. Phosphorus is released
from the dead algae and is available for uptake during future blooms. The
reason for using an algacide is to destroy the immediate algal bloom, and not
to prevent future ones.
Treatment by any of the three materials is directed at the symptoms rather
than the causes of eutrophication. The most important cause is a high phos-
phorus loading to Flaming Gorge Reservoir from the tributaries. None of the
treatment alternatives affects these phosphorus loadings to the reservoir.
EXPECTED COST
Assuming an area of about 8,000 acres is treated (about 20 percent of the
reservoir surface), the cost would be about $1,630,000 per year. This breaks
down as follows: manpower and barges, $400,000; alum, $1,200,000; copper
sulfate, $30,000. The estimate is based on applying alum in spring to precipi-
tate phosphorus and copper sulfate in fall to kill algae when blooms occur.
The alum dose rate is 0.5 dry ton per acre.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
People who use Flaming Gorge Reservoir for recreational purposes would benefit
from a reduction in algal weed growth. Services associated with recreational
activities would also benefit.
WHO PAYS
Flam ing Gorge Reservoir is located in a national recreation area. Therefore,
the costs of treatment would probably be borne by the Federal Government.
Some funding may be available through the "Clean Lakes" program, as provided
by Section 314 of Public Law 92-500.
WHO ACTS
Action would be initiated by the U.S. Forest Service, the agency supervising
the Flaming Gorge National Recreational Area. Assistance on in-lake treatment
could be obtained from Environmental Protection Agency staff who have extensive
experience in the field.
Because of the abundance of fly ash from the two power plants and coal-burning
industries in the area, the Environmental Protection Agency should initiate a
project on the feasibility of using the ash for phosphorus deactivation in
the reservoir. This study could possibly be included in the "Clean Lakes"
program.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
Addition of alum, fly ash, or copper sulfate would increase salinity in the
reservoir. The increase would be slight if treatment is applied only to the
areas of concentrated algal growth in the Blacks Fork and Green River Arms.
However, if phosphorus loadings to the reservoir are not controlled, areas of
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concentrated growth will expand, larger areas of treatment will be necessary,
and salinity increases will grow in importance. The magnitude of the salinity
increases from in-lake treatment could be estimated by EPA after experiments
involving water and algae from the reservoir.
Treatment would add undesirable chemical species to the water, such as sulfate,
copper, and other metals. The initial impact would occur in the sediment,
where metals may reach toxic concentrations and affect bottom fauna and
bottom feeders. The settled alum or fly ash floe would also affect the
bottom fauna and bottom feeders.
Areas with no dissolved oxygen are likely to spread in the reservoir if
treatment with copper sulfate is selected. Algae killed by copper sulfate
would decompose and consume oxygen. Anoxic conditions restrict habitat
availability for game fish and cause changes in bottom fauna.
Success with in-lake treatment can lead to the sometimes erroneous conclusion
that the water quality problem has been solved. In many cases, in-lake
treatment has only delayed or weakly disguised the problem.
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OPTION 7
REQUIRE EROSION AND MANURE CONTROL FOR
FARMING AND RANCHING ACTIVITIES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Within the study area, agriculture has appeared to reduce sediment and phos-
phorus loadings. In areas where there is a lack of natural vegetation to
stabilize the moderate to highly erodible soils, hay has been noted to have
an excellent capability to stabilize these soils. Furthermore, chemical
fertilizers are not widely used in the study area. The major application of
phosphorus to irrigated lands is through manure. In Chapter 5, manure was
estimated to contribute 11 percent of the empirical phosphorus load generated
in the Green River Basin.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Erosion control is estimated to have some small effect on sediment and phos-
phorus loading reductions. However, it can correct erosion problems on indi-
vidual farms which can cost individual farmers considerable time and money.
Unclogging of ditches and canals is a regular activity in many parts of the
study area.
This 208 program has not been designed to address issues on the individual
level of the farmer. The needs of the individual farmer can be identified
through the conservation needs program conducted by the local conservation
districts with the assistance of the SCS. The last Wyoming Conservation
Needs Inventory was published in June, 1970. It identified 109, 600 acres in
the Green River Basin in Sublette County and the study area and 33, 300 acres
in the Blacks Fork Basin with erosion damages and with potentially feasible
control programs. A new conservation needs inventory should be published
soon to indicate the progress of conservation planning and to identify the
critical areas or individual farms in the study area with respect to erosion.
Manure runoff is one of the larger contributors to phosphorus. Two ways of
reducing phosphorus loadings from manure runoff are either to reduce the
number of animals through grazing permit restrictions or to move animals away
from the highly erodible areas along streams. The first alternative would
have severe economic and social consequences. The second alternative is
probably more feasible. The actions associated with this alternative have
been covered under Option 2 for the Lower Muddy and Little Muddy areas. The
same actions would be used in other areas of animal concentrations.
Manure storage facilities are not a viable alternative in the study area
because manure controls must be placed on range cattle and sheep. These
animals are generally not confined to small areas. Manure storage facilities
are more justifiable for dairy herds and feedlots.
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EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Conservation planning may reduce phosphorus loadings to Flaming Gorge Reservoir
from erosion by up to 3 tons per year and from manure runoff by up to 65 tons
per year.
EXPECTED COST
Costs for conservation planning would be borne by the individual farmers.
Technical assistance at no cost to the individual farmer can be received from
SCS. Costs for conservation planning have not been estimated in this study.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The benefits from erosion control would be gained by individual farmers
through reduced time and money spent in cleaning irrigation ditches and
canals.
WHO PAYS
Although costs would be borne by individual farmers, Federal cost-sharing
funds are available from the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation
Service for erosion control. Continuous 208 planning may also be able to
provide funds for some of the capital costs of erosion control and manure
control.
WHO ACTS
Conservation planning is a voluntary program and therefore is initiated by
the individual farmers. The Wyoming State Conservation Commission is seeking
designation as the statewide management agency for nonpoint source pollution
and would be the logical lead agency in the promotion of the conservation
needs program in the study area.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The environmental impacts of conservation planning are significant and posi-
tive for the individual farmer. The social impacts are minimi2ed because of
the voluntary nature of the conservation planning program.
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OPTION 8
REQUIRE EROSION CONTROL FOR ALL
CONSTRUCTION AND MINING ACTIVITIES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Local erosion was shown in Chapter 5 to be a likely cause of some fisheries
use impairment in the study area. However, its contribution to phosphorus
loadings to Flaming Gorge Reservoir appears to be small. In the future, the
importance of local erosion is likely to increase because of the rapid growth
predicted for the area. Therefore, this is the proper time to clarify existing
erosion control ordinances and propose new ones, if needed.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The activities which have the potential to cause severe local erosion in the
study area are mining and related activities, highway construction, and resi-
dential and industrial building construction. All of these activities are
related to the expected boom in minerals and energy development in the study
area. This 208 Plan has borrowed extensively from the work done by the
Wyoming Highway Department, the Department of Environmental Quality, and the
Powder River Areawide Planning Organization (PRAPO) in order to formulate a
program to control future erosion from the activities listed above.
A management framework for mining has been developed by PRAPO and the Water
Resources Research Institute (WRRI) in order to satisfy Section 208 of the
Water Pollution Control Act of 1972. The entire management plan and the
rationale for it are contained in a draft report, entitled "Water Quality
Determinations, Mined Lands Areas, Northeastern Wyoming," and a companion
document, "Assessment Report and Recommendations: PRAPO Planning Area."
Sections of the management plan are included in Appendix C. In summary, the
important points in the overall program for pollution control in mining are
given below:
¦ The establishment of sound data collection programs. These programs
should generate information which properly defines water quality
conditions and potentials at a proposed site.
¦ The site evaluation which attempts to define the pollution po-
tential of a site as well as an area's susceptibility to the problem.
¦ The Water Resources Report. Prepared by the regulatory agencies
from information provided by the operators, this report publicly
presents an itemization of the important water resources/quality
factors for the given site.
¦ The preparation of a pollution control plan by the operator which
addresses each of the potential sources of pollution identified in
the Water Resources Report. This plan would be submitted with the
mining and reclamation plans and would be subject to the same type
of review and public input.
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¦ The establishment of re-evaluation programs which generate specific
monitoring data to use in determining what alterations, if any, are
necessary to the mining, reclamation, and pollution control plans.
It is recommended that the regulatory agencies continue those practices
identified in Appendix C and consider for adoption any new practices contained
in that appendix.
The Wyoming Highway Department and the Department of Environmental Quality
are developing a management plan for control of erosion from construction.
The second draft of this plan is contained in Appendix D. It is recommended
that the parts of that plan appropriate to construction of homes, offices,
and industrial complexes be considered for adoption as part of the building
permits program.
Information on who pays and who acts under each of these programs is con-
tained in the two appendices.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Implementation of the management plans for mining and construction should
control future local erosion and mitigate the impacts on water quality of
future energy development in the study area. This management option is not
aimed so much at reduction in existing sediment and phosphorus loadings, but
a control of the considerably larger loadings predicted for the future.
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OPTION 9
REQUIRE CONSIDERATION OF WATER QUALITY
IMPACTS OF WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Common current practice is to make multiple use of water development projects.
In the past the impact of existing water quality on multiple use has often
been considered; but changes in water quality have often not been projected,
and these changes may be capable of eliminating one or more of the planned
uses. Even if those projections were made, the project may still have been
sold to the public without adequately describing potential future water
quality problems.
An example of a water quality problem that developed as a result of a water
resource development project is the eutrophication problem in Flaming Gorge
Reservoir. Enough information was available in the literature by the early
1960's to alert people to the potential for eutrophication in the reservoir.
Before construction, water quality monitoring should have been done to better
define this potential.
The construction of a dam and formation of a pool of water at the site of
Flaming Gorge Reservoir has resulted in the accumulation of phosphorus and
other nutrients to the level where water quality problems exist in the Green
River system that did not exist before. These water quality problems are
specifically the growth of algae and other aquatic plants. People have
become accustomed to using Flaming Gorge Reservoir for boating, water skiing,
fishing, and other recreational activities but are increasingly disturbed by
the deteriorating quality of water. Numerous people have complained about
the quantity and extent of algae blooms in the reservoir each summer and
people are commenting on the fact that it appears the algae is taking over
more and more of the reservoir from the upstream toward the downstream end.
Investigations in this 208 study have shown that phosphorus levels in the
reservoir system are probably not high enough to produce an algae problem in
a free-flowing stream, but are high enough to produce algae problems in a
reservoir. The people in the study area are now faced with the problem of
trying to recover earlier good water quality in Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The management action proposed under this option has nothing to do with
existing water development projects such as Flaming Gorge Reservoir but is
directed toward future projects. The management action is to do adequate
studies of future water quality conditions prior to undertaking any water
resource development projects and to take necessary steps to reduce potential
problems where feasible, or at least to warn the public about the potential
for problems. An agency should be charged with the responsibility to carry
out a review of all projects. At the State level, the Interdepartmental
Water Conference (IDWC) is an excellent medium for the exchange of information
on both the quantity and quality of water considered for development.
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EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Reductions in phosphorus due to the above management action will depend on
the specific proposed projects. However, if the intent of this management
action is adhered to religiously, eutrophication problems can be avoided or
overcome. The intent of this management action is not to reduce phosphorus
loadings to a particular reservoir, but to aid in the proper selection of a
location for any new reservoir which is projected to have substantial recrea-
tional benefits. A suitable location is either where existing and projected
phosphorus loadings are below levels discussed at the beginning of this
chapter, or where phosphorus loadings originate primarily from easily control-
lable point sources. Even if a water resource project is developed that has
the potential for water quality problems, at least the people would have been
warned.
EXPECTED COST
The expected cost for this management action can only be determined once the
proposed water resource development projects are identified.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
Consideration of possible water quality impacts of developments may avoid
such problems as eutrophication. Where natural phosphorus levels are quite
high, there may be no way to avoid eutrophication except by not building the
water resource projects. For other areas, the public should be made aware of
the possibility for eutrophication, the expense for controlling this problem,
and the extent it can be controlled.
WHO PAYS
The financial source for this management option would depend on the proposed
projects.
WHO ACTS
Wyoming DEQ would be responsible for ensuring the proper evaluation of future
water quality conditions associated with any proposed water development
projects in the State. The State Engineer and/or the Wyoming Water Planning
Office would be directed to also evaluate water quality factors when the
project is presented to them.
If one of the evaluation criteria for a water resources development project
is the benefit-cost ratio, it must be assured that all costs of ensuring the
planned benefits against water quality impacts are included in the calculation
of the ratio. The transfer of water quality and water quantity information
needed to make a complete evaluation of a water resources development project
can be accomplished through the IDWC.
Federal facilities are now required to meet State water quality standards,
according to Section 313 of Executive Order 1 1752 from the EPA. Both DEQ
and EPA could examine the water quality impacts of a new Federal project to
see if the requirements of the executive order can be met.
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The study could result in actions to reduce the amount of phosphorus in
Palisades Reservoir and thereby reduce the amount of algae and undesirable
aquatic growths.
The social impacts of the study would be to foster a cooperative effort
involving two states and the Federal Government.
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OPTION 11
CONVERT TO NONPHOSPHATE DETERGENTS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Some of the phosphorus entering streams originates from municipal, commerical,
and industrial use of detergents containing phosphates. In the study area at
the present time, treatment facilities do not have processes for reducing or
treating phosphorus in the effluent. Providing additional treatment at the
treatment facilities would reduce the phosphorus levels but would also add to
the cost of treatment.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
As an alternative to treating phosphorus in wastewater, communities or counties
or the State could enact ordinances or legislation to prohibit the sale and
use of phosphate detergents in the area of jurisdiction.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
The total estimated phosphorus discharged from point sources and the estimated
amounts from other sources were listed on Table 5-13. About 50 percent of the
total phosphorus loads is attributable to the use of phosphate-containing
detergents. This estimate is based on application of data from sources
outside the study area. Thus, this information should be taken as only
approximate.
At 50 percent, it can be seen that eliminating phosphorus detergents would
reduce phosphorus loads entering Flaming Gorge Reservoir by 30 tons each
year.
EXPECTED COST
There are various industrial, commercial, and residential grade nonphosphate
detergents available on the market. Their prices are comparable to those for
typical phosphate detergents. Users of nonphosphate detergents report that
their effectiveness per pound Is somewhat less than phosphate detergents.
Cost, therefore, for detergents alone are likely to be higher. The Soap and
Detergent Association reports that the costs to consumers from having to use
nonphosphate detergents might range from $5 to $236 per household per year.
The lower value includes cost differences between the products and increased
washing machine repairs. The higher value includes effects of more hot water
use and more frequent garment replacements (the Soap and Detergent Associat'°n'
June 1977) . For the total study area population of about 60,000 persons, the
total cost of converting to nonphosphate detergents could range from $300,000
to $14,160,000 per year.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The benefits of converting to nonphosphate detergents are largely to the
recreational users of various water bodies, such as Flaming Gorge Reservoir,
and the tourist industry.
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WHO PAYS
A transition period would be provided as part of the control action so that
existing stocks of phosphate detergents could be used up prior to conversion.
After this period, the consumers of nonphosphate detergents would essentially
be paying for the management option.
WHO ACTS
Any one of the four levels of government could implement this option—local,
county, state, or Federal. If the Federal Government intended to take this
action, it probably would have by now. The State Legislature is probably the
most appropriate body to act, but it probably will not because not all parts
of the State are necessarily affected by the use of phosphate detergents.
Because the problem is local in cause and effect, county governments might
consider action on a proposal to eliminate the sale and use of phosphate
detergents within their jurisdiction. Should any county in the study area
not require the conversion to nonphosphate detergents, a local community
might act on its own within its jurisdiction.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
This action would result in a 2 to 6 percent reduction of the levels of
phosphorus discharged to the surface waters and ground waters of the study
area. This range reflects the fact that not all users have a discharge and
that some food industry users may not have another product available. The
potential positive impact would be a reduction in eutrophic levels in various
reservoirs in the study area. Sufficient natural phosphorus is present in
stream systems throughout the area to act as a nutrient for beneficial
aquatic growths.
The social consequences of this action would be the potential alienation of
the public against the implementing governmental agency. In addition, there
would be the impact of reduced sales by the producers and suppliers of phos-
phate detergents. However, those losses could be offset by the production
and sales of nonphosphate detergents. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the
consumers may have extra expenses resulting from the use of nonphosphorus
detergents.
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OPTION 12
ADOPT PHOSPHORUS STANDARDS FOR FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is eutrophic in the two arms and mestrophic in the
main body. Algal growth is excessive in the two arms, and excessive algal
growth is beginning to spread down.the reservoir from the two arms. The
existing phosphorus loadings are capable of continuing eutrophic conditions
in the two arms and may be capable of producing eutrophic conditions throughout
the main body of the reservoir.
If the reservoir becomes eutrophic throughout, the fish population will
likely change from primarily game fish to primarily nongame fish, and recrea-
tional opportunities in the reservoir will be lost. Recreation related to
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is an estimated $2 million per year industry in
Southwestern Wyoming. Because of the importance of recreation in Flaming
Gorge Reservoir, EPA has designated the reservoir as the most important
candidate for cleanup in Wyoming.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Instream phosphorus standards are necessary in order to formulate wasteload
allocations and control phosphorus discharges to the reservoir. Two critical
total phosphorus levels in the surface waters have been defined: 0.080 mg/l,
which marks the maximum level for permissible conditions, and 0.030 mg/l,
which marks the maximum level for desirable conditions. Either level will be
difficult to meet on a continuous basis in the two arms by control of phosphorus
loadings. For example, to attain permissible conditions in the two arms
would require an estimated 75 percent reduction in phosphorus loadings from
Green River and an 85 percent reduction from Blacks Fork. This degree of
reduction is probably not possible when so much of the load comes from natural/
nonpoint sources.
A permissible level of 0.080 mg/l or less at all times may be attainable in
the two arms by a combination of phosphorus controls and in-lake management,
however. In-lake techniques are described under Option 6. Management of
phosphorus in the two arms will not only improve conditions in the arms
themselves, but also control phosphorus loadings from the two arms to the
main body of the reservoir. The two arms are estimated to deliver 60 percent
of the total phosphorus loading to the main body.
The permissible level appears to be a reasonably attainable goal in the two
arms. Therefore, it is recommended that DEQ consider for adoption an instreaff
phosphorus standard in the two arms of 0.080 mg/l total phosphorus in the
surface waters. A program to meet this standard is described in Chapter 11.
As shown on Figure 9-1, stations in the main body of the reservoir have
either permissible conditions (F3) or desirable conditions (F4-F9). In order
to attain desirable conditions throughout the main body of the reservoir,
phosphorus loadings to the main body will have to be reduced by an estimated
91-141 tons per year (50-70 percent). Control of phosphorus in the two arms
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will go part of the way toward the desired reduction. Other phosphorus
controls may be done in Henrys Fork, Sage Creek, Current Creek, or other
tributaries, as required. Desirable conditions appear to be an attainable
goal in the main body of the reservoir. Therefore, it is recommended that
DEQ consider for adoption a standard of 0.030 mg/l total phosphorus in the
surface waters in the main body of the reservoir. A program to meet this
standard is described in Chapter 11.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
The standards are designed to encourage permissible conditions in the two
arms and desirable conditions in the reservoir.
EXPECTED COST
Costs for developing phosphorus standards have not been estimated. However,
these costs would probably be small compared to the costs of the phosphorus
control program or the benefits from it.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The largest benefits would go to recreationalists and services supporting
recreation in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Some additional benefits may be
gained for fisheries in the streams because of erosion controls needed to
meet the phosphorus standards.
WHO PAYS
DEQ would incur costs in the development and enforcement of phosphorus
standards. These costs are difficult to assess.
WHO ACTS
DEQ would adopt phosphorus standards for Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Authoriza-
tion for this action comes under the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act, 1973
Session Laws, Chapter 250, Section 1.
DEPAD would review any public or private action which may increase significantly
the phosphorus concentrations in the reservoir. This department has authority
for control over the physical and economic resources of the State (WS 9-160.19)
and for study of private activities which may have an effect on public interest
(WS 9-160.29 (a) (iv).
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OPTION 13
NO ACTION
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Flaming Gorge Reservoir is a valuable recreational resource in Southwestern
Wyoming. However, its recreational value is being impaired because of excessive
algal growths. Previous options have considered ways to reduce algal growths
through the control of phosphorus. This option presents a different philo-
sophical approach toward the management of the environment.
The reservoir is an artificial impoundment constructed for storage and multi-
purpose use of Upper Basin water. Without the construction of the dam and
reservoir, eutrophication probably never would have become a serious problem
in the area because there would have been relatively few recreationalists in
the area and because there would have been no still-water habitat for the
troublesome blue-green algae. But the reservoir has attracted several hundred
thousand recreationalists each year, and the still-water environment in the
reservoir has provided the proper habitat for the growth of the free-floating
blue-green algae causing the problem.
If man-induced activities were causing the eutrophication problem, there
might be a justification for controlling phosphorus loadings from these
activities in order to provide a better recreational environment. However,
as shown in Chapter 5, 76 percent of the annual phosphorus loading to the two
arms (435 of 569 tons) is attributed to general erosion, which is affected
very little by man. If man had not built any towns in the study area, or
built any roads, or cultivated any lands, there would still have been a
eutrophication problem in the reservoir due to nutrient loadings from natural
erosion.
This point raises the philosophical question of whether man should attempt to
control natural erosion processes for the benefit of an artificial impoundment.
Phosphorus controls will require drop structures, riprap, sedimentation
basins, range controls, addition of chemicals to the reservoir, and other
measures potentially disruptive to the natural and human environments. The
environmental, social, and economic costs of phosphorus controls may outweigh
the benefits in the reservoir.
The importance of natural phosphorus loadings also raises a question about
the effectiveness of man to control them. The existing natural erosion rates
have developed over thousands of years. To control these dynamic processes
in a relatively short time span within a desert environment may be a costly
and difficult task.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
The importance of Flaming Gorge Reservoir as a recreational resource is
undeniable. The loss of the reservoir to recreation may be delayed by in-lake
management techniques described under Option 6. In the meantime, alternative
recreational sites can be developed. These sites may include Bear Lake and
other water bodies where management of man-induced phosphorus loadings can
9-46
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maintain oligotrophia or mesotrophic conditions. New recreational sites must
be examined carefully to ensure that water quality will accommodate the
planned recreational activities. This concern is covered more fully in
Option 9.
EXPECTED CONTAMINANT REDUCTION
Some control over algal growth could be exercised by in-lake management.
However, there would be no effort to reduce phosphorus loadings to the reservoir.
EXPECTED COST
The cost of this option would be the eventual loss of game fishing and other
recreational opportunities in the reservoir and the associated economic
losses to the recreation and tourism industry in Southwestern Wyoming.
BENEFITS AND TO WHOM
The benefits are the elimination of costs for phosphorus controls on municipal
treatment plants, on rangelands, along railroads and roads, etc.
WHO PAYS
The only direct costs of this option may be some for in-lake management.
These costs are covered in Option 6.
WHO ACTS
Only Option 9, and perhaps Option 6, would be exercised in conjuction with
this option. Therefore, the actors under this option would be the same as
those under Option 9 and perhaps Option 6. These actors include DEQ, the
State Engineer, the Wyoming Water Planning Program, the Bureau of Reclamation,
and others.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS
The environmental impacts would be the eventual loss of the reservoir to
eutrophication. Social impacts may include a loss of jobs in the recreation
and tourist industry, a loss in area pride, and others.
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Chapter 10
CONTROLS FOR OTHER ISSUES
A number of other issues besides the control of salinity and phosphorus have
emerged from this 208 study as being important. This chapter identifies
these other issues and ways to manage and control them.
ISSUE: POOR WATER QUALITY IN BRIDGER VALLEY WELLS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Samples taken from numerous wells used for household water supply in the
Bridger Valley have had high levels of fecal coliform and nitrate. The State
Department of Public Health has shown these problems to be largely a result
of poor septic tank operation due to soil conditions, housing densities, and
other factors.
MANAGEMENT OPTION 1: CONVERT TO CENTRAL TREATMENT WHERE
DENSITIES PERMIT
Mountain View and Lyman are constructing new collection systems which will
eliminate some septic tanks in the area. This trend should be encouraged in
order to reduce pollution in wells. Wastewater treatment capacity is being
expanded in both communities to meet the increase in flows.
Fort Bridger has a single-cell wastewater treatment lagoon which has limited
capacity to accommodate future growth. Since the lagoon is downgradient from
the existing wells, it is not a source of pollution to domestic wells. The
collection system should be extended in order to reduce the number of septic
tanks in the area. The funds for the collection system expansion could come
from local user and tap fees and from the 201 Construction Grants Program.
MANAGEMENT OPTION 2: ABANDON GROUND WATER SYSTEM FOR PUBLIC
WATER SUPPLIES
With the construction of the two dams and reservoirs in the Stateline Project,
a more dependable water supply can be delivered to Bridger Valley. The
surface water supplies could be used for domestic water supplies, while
ground water could continue to be used for urban irrigation. The cost of
this option would be high for the local residents compared to the other
options. Therefore, it is recommended that the other options be exercised
first to eliminate the use impairments. If these options cannot improve
ground water quality, this option remains as a feasible alternative if water
rights can be obtained by the involved communities.
MANAGEMENT OPTION 3: REQUIRE MORE THOROUGH MANAGEMENT OF
INDIVIDUAL WASTE DISPOSAL
A program for individual waste disposal was described in detail in Chapter 9
as an option for the control of phosphorus. That same program also would
Pertain to the control of bacterial quality and nitrate levels in the ground
water. No changes are required for the statement given earlier about this
option.
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MANAGEMENT OPTION 4: DO FURTHER STUDIES ON PROBLEMS AND
SOURCES
There are numerous farm animals in the Bridger Valley, and it is possible
that some well water contamination is attributable to the concentration of
those animals as well as to septic tank failures. If the construction of the
central treatment facilities described under Option 1 does not show improvements
in the ground water within 1 year after being put into operation, then the
Uinta County Commissioners should designate an agency to carry out further
studies on problems and sources related to poor well water quality. During
the interim period, a program of regular sampling and testing of well water
supplies should be undertaken by the State Health Department. If bacterial
quality stays below the standards, the State Health Department should help
educate people in the valley about the necessary precautions to be taken
until the cause can be eliminated.
ISSUE: INSTITUTIONAL FUZZINESS IN URBANIZING AREAS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Areas immediately outside an incorporated community have been subject to
development as population pressures increase. The problems associated with
managing the individual wastewater disposal from these areas were described
earlier in Chapter 9 under Option 5. A further problem has arisen because
some developments have installed their own treatment facility and, as the
community grows, there is increased pressure for a community to take on the
responsibility for operating the satellite facility or taking the area into
the community's system. This is currently happening in the Rock Springs area
and is expected to happen in Green River, Kemmerer, and Evanston, as well
as other parts of the area.
Too often the community's central treatment facility is not sized to handle
the additional flows from a satellite community outside its boundaries. Even
if the facility has the capacity, typically the trunk sewer mains do not.
Planning for the size of facilities and trunk mains therefore must take into
account the potential for growth and the potential future service area that
the facility must plan to serve. Development within that boundary can then
take place with the knowledge that sooner or later central treatment facilities
will be provided. And development outside the area can take place with the
full knowledge that individual or satellite systems are likely to be the
treatment method for the long-range future.
MANAGEMENT ACTION
Wyoming law provides that the mayor of any municipality may have extraterri-
torial jurisdiction under Wyoming Statute 15.1-171. This provides the mayor,
as may be vested in him by ordinance, with jursidiction—
¦ Over all places within 5 miles of the corporate limits of the city
for the enforcement of health or quarantine ordinances; and
¦ In all matters, excepting taxation, within 0.5 mile of the corporate
limits of the city.
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Quoting from a letter to the Carbon County Attorney dated June 2, 1976,
Attorney General V. Frank Mendicino and Special Assistant Attorney General
Steve F. Freudenthal have pointed out that "it is necessary to conclude that:
A county may zone up to the boundaries of the municipality; a municipality
may exercise zoning authority beyond its municipal boundaries; and, within
the area of overlapping jurisdiction, the more restrictive zoning requirements,
whether municipal or county, are controlling.11
For the areas of Rock Springs, Green River, Evanston, Kemmerer, Mountain
View, Lyman, and Fort Bridger, the 208 Plan recommends that the county and
each municipality named jointly develop an agreement on jurisdiction for •
planning for wastewater facilities within the 5-mile limits described in
Wyoming statutes beyond the boundaries of each municipality, and that a plan
specifically be developed that will detail what final service area is to be
expected by the central treatment facility in each of those communities. The
county commissioners in each of the counties may authorize some specific
agency to carry out that planning within their jurisdiction.
ISSUE: HIGH FECAL COLIFORM LEVELS IN SOME AREAS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Reaches 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 40, and 48 were shown in
Chapter 3 to have recreational use impairments due to fecal coliform. There
are insufficient data to show what is the source of fecal coliform in many or
most of those reaches.
MANAGEMENT ACTION: DEQ AND/OR BLM SHOULD CONTINUE TO CARRY
OUT SAMPLING AND MONITORING PROGRAMS TO TRACK THE SOURCES OF
THESE FECAL COLIFORM LEVELS IN THE REACHES MENTIONED
BLM has started a program to identify the sources of fecal coliform. Where
the fecal coliform come from point sources having NPDES discharge permits,
DEQ should take the necessary action to require compliance with standards.
If the fecal coliform come from nonpoint sources, then DEQ should prepare a
report on the nonpoint sources involved by county, and the information would
then be available in future annual updates of this 208 Plan. A discussion of
annual updating is covered further in this chapter.
ISSUE: HIGH AMMONIA LEVELS IN SOME STREAM REACHES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Ammonia, when in the un-ionized state, may be toxic to fish. The ammonia
sampling and monitoring that has been done in the past has measured only
ammonia levels, but the degree to which ammonia is un-ionized is a function
of temperature and pH. So in order to determine the un-ionized level of
ammonia, both temperature and pH must be measured simultaneously with ammonia
levels.
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MANAGEMENT ACTION: CHANCE SAMPLING PRACTICES
DEQ, USGS, EPA, or any other agency carrying out water quality monitoring in
the three-county area should take simultaneous temperature and pH measurements
when samples are taken to test for ammonia levels in order that toxic levels
of un-ionized ammonia may be determined.
ISSUE: HIGH METALS LEVELS IN SOME STREAM REACHES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
In Chapter 3, eight reaches were identified to have concentrations of dissolved
metals which exceeded the water quality criteria. These reaches were 1, 6,
7, 8, 11, 13, 17, and 20. The metals which exceeded the water quality criteria
were cadmium, zinc, copper, and lead. However, there has been no documented
evidence of any toxicity problems in any of these reaches. Moreover, several
of the reaches are considered blue-ribbon fisheries. The apparent discrepancy
may be the result of one or more of the four following conditions: fish
species may have adapted to the instream concentrations; the effects of the
metals may be too subtle to notice without an intensive study; analytical
measurements of instream concentrations may have been inaccurate; and water
quality criteria may not adequately represent toxicity levels for the fish in
the study area.
MANAGEMENT ACTION: PERFORM SPECIES TOLERANCE STUDIES
Because of the importance of fishing to the economy of the study area and
because of the widespread consequences in applying the water quality criteria
to the study area, the four conditions listed above should be investigated.
The most suspect of the four conditions would appear to be the last one,
which is that water quality criteria do not adequately reflect toxicity
levels for the fish in this study area. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department,
in conjunction with EPA as needed, should carry out species tolerance studies
to determine if the levels of heavy metals in the reaches as called out above
are, in fact, harmful. A report should be prepared and submitted to DEQ and
to the ongoing 208 agency in the areas in question. The report should describe
which metals were found to be toxic and which metals were not found to be
toxic and at what levels, for what species, and in what locations. This
information will then be used for future planning purposes.
ISSUE: LOW DISSOLVED OXYGEN LEVELS IN SOME REACHES
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Chapter 3 showed that DO levels may be too low for fisheries at some times of
the year in the following reaches: 1, 18, 19, 20, 47, and 48.
MANAGEMENT ACTION: DO NOTHING SPECIFICALLY
The construction of planned sewage treatment facilities will reduce the
amount of organic loads discharged to the streams and reduce the biological
oxygen demand (BOD). Since the low dissolved oxygen levels are in reaches
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likely to be affected by those discharges, improved treatment operation is
expected to improve dissolved oxygen levels.
ISSUE: FUTURE MONITORING OF WATER QUALITY
PROBLEM STATEMENT
More confident conclusions could have been reached on some of the controls if
better water quality data had been available. This section calls out some of
the monitoring needs for the future within the study area.
MANAGEMENT ACTION: COORDINATED MONITORING AND TESTING PROGRAMS
DEQ and USGS are the two agencies that do the most sampling in the study
area. They are expected to continue doing their sampling programs in the
future. USGS conducts the routine monitoring programs, while DEQ carries out
special studies as needed. These agencies are directed to the following
needs:
« A fully qualified water quality testing laboratory must be maintained
in the Southwestern Wyoming area. The long distances to the nearest
large cities make it difficult to carry out a routine monitoring
program and to obtain accurate results without a laboratory within
the study area.
¦ A flow-monitoring station should be established at the existing
quality station designated Green River below Green River in order
to measure contaminant loadings from Bitter Creek and the Green
River area.
¦ The present program of monitoring phosphorus does not allow accurate
prediction of loads. If a phosphorus control program is initiated,
a concentrated sampling program should be started. The frequency
of phosphorus monitoring, particularly in the tributaries, should
be increased during high flows. Because of the large costs and
benefits associated with a phosphorus control program, sampling
should be done by automatic samplers to ensure more accurate results-
¦ Dissolved and total metals should be monitored only if toxicity
levels can be accurately established.
¦ Alkalinity and chloride are easily monitored, but levels in the
study area have been adequately determined and further monitoring
does not appear necessary.
¦ Ammonia monitoring should take place within and below population
centers and should be done in conjunction with monitoring of pH and
temperature.
¦ Water quality criteria have not been exceeded for the following
chemical constituents: arsenic, barium, color, fluoride, phenol,
polychlorinated biphenyls, selenium, and turbidity. It is recom-
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mended that these constituents be monitored infrequently or not at
all, because no conditions in the foreseeable future are expected
to increase their levels above the criteria.
¦ The important salinity parameters in the study area are total
dissolved solids (or conductivity), sulfate, total hardness, and
sodium adsorption ratio. If a salinity control program is initiated,
a salinity baseline should be established throughout the Green
River Basin by monitoring the four salinity parameters on a twice-
monthly basis during spring and on a bimonthly basis at other
times.
¦ The following measurements should be made monthly in Flaming Gorge
Reservoir to define the pace of eutrophication: total phosphorus,
dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, and secchi disk transparency. At
least three phosphorus and dissolved oxygen measurements should be
made at different depths at each sampling location.
¦ Monitoring of constituents which have criteria but which have not
yet been monitored (see Table 2-10) does not appear necessary at
this time.
The results of the water quality monitoring should be reported through the
regular channels of USGS and DEQ and be stored in the STORET and WRDS systems
in order to be available for future planners.
ISSUE: SEDIMENT CONTROL
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Eleven reaches were identified to have total suspended solids concentrations
which exceeded the water quality criterion. A management action is presented
below for the reduction of suspended solids concentrations.
MANAGEMENT ACTION: DEVELOP SUSPENDED SOLIDS CRITERIA OR STANDARDS
The existing State standard for suspended sediment is given in terms of a
change in the compensation point from the seasonal norm, whereas the data
from monitoring programs to date have been in terms of miligrams per liter
(mg/l) for suspended solids and turbidity units for turbidity. The testing
to determine the change in compensation point is an extremely complex process
which would be expensive to carry out on a routine basis. A sediment criterion
of 80 mg/l total suspended solids has been used in this study. Wyoming Game
and Fish biologists should work closely with DEQ to determine if the criterion
is a realistic one to indicate water quality problems. Agreement on a sediment
criterion or standard will allow future monitoring programs to gather data
that will be useful in making conclusions about water quality.
10-6
-------
ISSUE: ONGOING 208 PLANNING
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association was established
for the 2-year period necessary to carry out the 208 planning project. It
was not an existing agency prior to its establishment in November 1975.
Public Law 92-500 and EPA's 208 program guidance indicate that 208 is expected
to be an ongoing planning program providing for future updates of the 208
plan on an annual or other frequency basis. If the Association is disbanded
upon completion of the initial 208 plan, then another agency is required to
carry out such future updates as are necessary.
MANAGEMENT OPTION 1: CONTINUE SWWQPA
The executive board of SWWQPA can decide to stay in existence beyond the
planning period and can direct that specific activities be carried out at
appropriate future intervals. The Association could continue to have full-
time paid staff who could be responsible for coordination of monitoring and
control programs. It could also take on other duties as directed by the
Association board such as the operation of the individual waste disposal
management program, feasibilty studies on erosion control in Bitter Creek, or
others.
MANAGEMENT OPTION 2: DISBAND SWWQPA
The same duties that were described under Option 1 could also be done by
another agency within the planning area. In Lincoln and Uinta Counties, for
example, an Association of Governments has been recently formed that could
carry out the ongoing 208 planning for those two counties. Sweetwater
County does not have such an association, but the County itself could carry
out future 208 updates. Nonpoint control programs could be administered
through the Wyoming Construction Commission and DEQ.
10-7
-------
-------
Chapter 11
THE RECOMMENDED 208 PLAN
This chapter will present a 208 Plan for the Southwestern Wyoming area. It
is recommended for consideration by the public and adoption by the Southwestern
Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association. The recommended plan is organized
into three major parts: the subplan for salinity, the subplan for eutrophica-
tion, and the subplan for other issues. The recommended plan has been developed
from material presented in the previous chapters in this report.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
More options than those presented in Chapters 8, 9, and 10 were considered
during the course of this 208 study. They were eliminated because they did
not satisfy one or more of the four criteria presented below:
¦ Is the option capable of producing measureable improvements in
water quality?
¦ Is the water quality improvement directed at alleviating the use
impairments shown in Chapter 3?
¦ Is the option clearly definable so that another party can know what
is to be done, who is to do it, and how benefits can be measured?
¦ Are there no obvious insurmountable political roadblocks?
All of the options in Chapters 8, 9, and 10 satisfy the four evaluation
criteria.
A second set of evaluation criteria has been used to judge the chances of
putting into practice those options presented in the three previous chapters.
These criteria are as follows:
¦ Feasibility: Is the control measure technologically, legally, and
administratively feasible?
¦ Cost Acceptability: Can the agency or individual responsible for
carrying out the option afford it? Is the ratio of benefits to
costs, where it can be computed, at least 1.4:1?
¦ Adverse Impacts: Are there significant adverse environmental
and/or social impacts that would override the benefits of the
action?
The emphasis of all these criteria is on implementation. This report alone
cannot improve water quality in the study area. Recommendations from this
plan and others must be implementable and implemented in order to achieve
better water quality.
11-1
-------
THE SUBPLAN FOR SALINITY CONTROL
A precedent for salinity control in the study area has been established by
the Big Sandy Unit Project. The justification for this project was based on
the costs of salinity to users in the Lower Colorado River Basin. The approach
to salinity in this study has been to determine whether salinity controls
could be recommended for the benefit of the study area or the State of Wyoming.
The sources of salinity were covered in Chapter 5. In summary, two-thirds of
the increase in salt loads in the Green River within the study area come in
two reaches of the reach to which Big Sandy River is tributary and the reach
immediately downstream. In the Blacks Fork, three-quarters of the salt load
delivered by the Blacks Fork comes from above the confluence with Smiths
Fork. These regions of high salt loads include most of the irrigated acreage
in the Eden Valley and Bridger Valley.
Health-related and economic-related problems have been caused by salinity in
the study area. These were identified in Chapter 3 and summarized in Chapter
8. Most of these problems have occurred in Green River reaches below Big
Sandy River and in Blacks Fork reaches below Smiths Fork. Thus, there appear
to be benefits from salinity control in the Big Sandy and in Smiths Fork and
the upper reaches of Blacks Fork.
Options for salinity control were presented in Chapter 8. Each of these
options is evaluated on Table 11-1 according to the criteria described in the
previous section. An option has been considered not implementable if--
¦ It does not appear technologically, legally, or administratively
feasible.
¦ It has significant adverse environmental or social impacts.
¦ It has a benefit-cost ratio less than 1.4:1, where it can be computed.
¦ The responsible individual or agency cannot afford it.
Those options which are considered implementable are included in the subplan
for salinity. Two options which have promise but whose implementability is
unknown are recommended for further study.
Table 11-2 indicates why the feasibility of an option was considered question-
able either technologically, legally, or administratively. A more complete
discussion of these points is included in Chapter 8.
Table 11-3 amplifies upon the adverse environmental or social impacts noted
on Table 11-1. Secondary environmental or social impacts of the options have
not been considered in this report.
The recommended salinity control plan is presented on Table 11-4. The plan
contains five elements, two of which are studies and three of which are
short-range and long-range actions. The outcome of the two studies may lead
to further salinity controls. The goal of the salinity program is to maintain
11-2
-------
Table 11-1
EVALUATION OF SALINITY CONTROL MEASURES
Option Opinion of Feasibility '
Technological Legal Administrative
1. Big Sandy Unit Study Yes Yes Yes
2. Sprinkler Irrigation in Yes Yes Yes
Bridger Valley
3. Improvement of Irrigation
Efficiencies
a) in Eden Valley Yes Yes Yes
b) In Bridger Valley Yes Yes Yes
c) In Eden Valley and
Bridger Valley Yes Yes Yes
4. Control of Development Where
Salts Can Be Mobilized Yes Yes Yes
S. Salinity Controls in
Sublette County
Yes Yes Yes
6. Interception of Ground Water
Below Big Sandy Reser-
voir Questionable Ques. Questionable
7. No Action Yes Ques. Yes
8. Salinity Standards Questionable Yes Yes
(1) Not computed.
Free From Major
Adverse Impacts
INCLUSION IN RECOM-
Within Budgetary
Constraints
Favorable
Benefit-Cost Ratio
Environmental
Social
Within
Study
Area Only
Basinwide
Yes
CD
(1)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Not for farmers or
ASCS. Requires
grant or cost-
sharing.
No
Questionable
Yes
No
No
Not for farmers or
LCD's. Requires
grant or cost-
sharing.
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
Questionable
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
(1)
(1)
Yes
No
Yes
Funding source identi-
fied. Funds not
committed. (1)
(1)
Questionable
Questionable
Study
Funding source identi-
fied. Funds not
committed. (1)
(1)
Yes
Yes
Study
Yes
(1)
(1)
No
. Yes
No
Yes
(1)
(1)
Ye
Yes
No
-------
Table 11-2
CLARIFICATION OF FEASIBILITY OF SALINITY CONTROL OPTIONS
Option Clarification
6 Technologically questionable until necessary studies are completed
on ground water movement.
6 Legally questionable until studies are completed on water rights.
6 Administratively questionable because of the number of different
agencies involved in intercepting and producing the water, allo-
cating and administering the water, and monitoring the water quality.
7 Legally questionable because of possible conflict with 40 CFR 120,
EPA's regulations on water quality standards. The legal question
will be decided in court because of a law suit by the Environmental
Defense Fund.
8 Technologically questionable because there appears to be no sound
basis for a standard.
11-1
-------
Table 11-3
CLARIFICATION OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL OR SOCIAL IMPACTS
OF SALINITY CONTROL OPTIONS
Option Clarification
2 Farming is part-time in Bridger Valley, and option would require
full-time farming or hiring of irrigators. Cost-sharing and grants
may overcome social impacts.
3 Same as above for Bridger Valley and Eden-Farson area.
4 Option may preclude some projects which would increase salinity.
It may hinder full development of Wyoming's compact water.
7 Option will not eliminate health-related and economic-related
imacts of salinity both within the study area and downstream from
it.
11-5
-------
Table 11-1
RECOMMENDED SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Control Action
When Action
Would Take Place
1. Continue Big Sandy Unit Study
Started already
2. Improvement of irrigation effi-
ciencies
a) In Eden Valley
b) In Eden Valley and Bridger
Valley
Begin with 1979 grow-
ing season.
All farm units under
program in 1983.
3. Control of development where
salts can be mobilized
Immediately
1. Study salinity controls in
Sublette County Complete by
November 1979
5. Study interception of ground
water below Big Sandy
Reservoir Immediately
Who Would
Take Action
Estimated
Salinity Removal
(tons/year)
Estimated
First Cost
($1,000)
Bureau of Rec- ?
lamation
Local Conserva-
tion Districts
12,000-23,000
31,000-15,000
Bureau of Land Manage-
ment, Bureau of Recla-
mation, Wyoming, De-
partment of Environmental
Quality, State Engineer,
Water Planning
Program
Wyoming Department
of Environmental
Quality ?
Bureau of
Reclamation
150-300 per year
700-1,100 per year
20-200 for study
50-200 for study
-------
or decrease salinity levels in the study area. The results of the program
are expected to be fewer health-related impacts in the study area for domestic
water users and lower economic costs of water treatment for industry and
domestic water users in the study area and for downstream users outside the
study area. The adverse environmental impacts of the program appear to be
negligible. The adverse social impacts may be overcome by Federal and State
cost-sharing programs.
The benefit-cost analysis has shown no salinity control measures favorable to
the study area for economic reasons alone. However, favorable benefit-cost
ratios have been calculated for the basin as a whole. Therefore, emphasis
has been placed on transferring some of the benefits gained by downstream
users to those incurring costs in the study area. This transfer was considered
necessary in order to make elements of the salinity control program imple-
mentable. The need for this transfer adds a serious complication to the
salinity control program, however.
A detailed presentation of the management process for the short-range (1977-1982)
salinity control program is made on Figure 11-1. Critical dates are called
out in this flow chart. Table 11-5 specifies which agency is designated to
carry out each management action in the short-range salinity control program.
THE SUBPLAN FOR PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL
Eutrophication, identified by the overabundance of algae in reservoirs, has
emerged as a significant water quality problem in the Southwestern Wyoming
area. The two arms of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the upper part of Palisades
Reservoir, Big Sandy Reservoir, and Woodruff Narrows Reservoir have all been
found to be eutrophic to various degrees.
The amount of phosphorus in the water appears to be closely linked to the de-
gree of eutrophication in the reservoir. The goal of the eutrophication
control program is to reduce phosphorus to permissible or desirable levels in
Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which is the most important recreational water body
in the study area. The program also includes studies of Palisades Reservoir
to determine the feasibility of phosphorus controls in that reservoir's
watershed.
The major source of phosphorus was found to be natural erosion, which contri-
butes an estimated three-quarters of the total phosphorus loading to the two
arms of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Most of the controls in Chapter 9 on eutro-
phication are directed at the management of this process. Control of erosion
will also reduce suspended solids concentrations in the streams.
The other sources of phosphorus in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir watershed are
the municipal wastewater treatment plants and manure runoff. Each contri-
butes approximately 11 percent of the total phosphorus loading to the two
arms.
The eutrophication and sediment control measures are evaluated on Table 11-6.
The same evaluation criteria are used for the eutrophication program as for
the salinity control program, except that no benefit-cost ratio has been
11-7
-------
PAGE NOT
AVAILABLE
DIGITALLY
-------
SUBLETTE
COUNTY
STUDY
MCPGAT lO
cn%w
ACTION ¦Y
rUNEKt
'set PREPARE
PROGRAM
oe VELOfKENV
IRRIGATION
IPMCICNCV
IMPROVEMENT
AND
GROUND MATE*
Interception
ACTION
JjGULATION
* development
rABLE 11 -5 OR TABLE 7-1 FOR
[NG OF AGENCY ABBREVIATIONS
CH2M
H HILL
-------
Table 11-5
AGENCY DESIGNATED TO CARRY OUT SHORT-RANGE SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM
Management Activity
Regulate,
i
«s
Salinity Control Plan Element
Continue Big Sandy Unit Study
Irrigation Efficiencies in Eden
and Bridger Valley
Groundwater Interception in Big
Sandy Area
Regulate Development
Sublette County Salinity Study
Plan
BR, SCS
SCS, LCD's
Farmers
BR, SCS
DEQ, SE,
BLM, BR
DEQ
Finance
BR, SCS
ASCS,
Farmers,
BR, SCS
(study)
Legislature
208 Program
DEPAD
Administer,
Oversee
Activities
BR, CRSF
SCS, CRSF,
DEPAD
BR, CRSF
IDWC,
SWWQPA
DEQ, EPA
Enforce,
Monitor
BR, EPA,
DEQ
DEQ, LCD
SE, DEQ,
CRSF
BLM, DEQ
SE
EPA
Construct Facilities,
Enact Laws, Develop
Regulations
BR, SCS
Farmers
BR, SCS
DEQ, SE, BLM
DEQ
Operate Facilities
Farmers
Abbreviations
SWWQPA Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association
LCD Local Conservation Districts
DEPAD Wyoming Department of Economic Planning and Development
SE Wyoming State Engineer
DEQ Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
SCS U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service
ASCS U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service
BLM U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management
BR U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
-------
Table 11-6
EVALUATION OF PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL MEASURES
Option
1. Point source control
2. Range management by re-
vegetation in Lower Muddy
Creek and Little Muddy
Creek
3. Channel modification in
Middle or Lower Bitter
Creek
*. Structural controls in
a) Upper Bitter Creek
b) Lower Muddy Creek and
Little Muddy Creek
5. Septic tank management
6. In-lake management
7. Erosion and manure con-
trol for farming and
ranching
8. Erosion control for con-
struction and mining
activities
9. Consideration of water
quality impacts
10. Eutrophication control In
Palisades Reservoir
11. Conversion to n on phosphate
detergents
12. Phosphorus standards for
Flaming Gorge
13. No action on eutrophication
in Flaming Gorge Reser-
voir
Opinion of Feasibility
Technological
Yes
Questionable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Questionable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Questionable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Legal Administrative
Yes Yes
Ques. Questionable
Yes
Ques.
Ques.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ques. Questionable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes Yes
Yes Questionable
Yes Yes
Ques.
Yes
Opinion of Cost Acceptability
Within Budgetary Constraints
Short-Range Long-Range
N.A.
Yes
Free From Major
Adverse Impacts
Environmental Social
Yes
Yes
Inclusion In Recom-
mended Subplan
Short-Range
No
Long-Range
Questionable
Yes
Funding source
identified. Funds
not committed.
Funding source
identified. Funds
not committed.
Yes
Yes
Funding source
identified. Funds
not committed.
Questionable
Questionable
Questionable
Questionable
Yes
Funding source
identified. Funds
not committed.
Slight
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Study
Study
Study
Study
Yes
Yes
Questionable
Questionable
Questionable
Questionable
Yes
Questionable
No
No
Yes
No
No
Questionable
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Funding source
identified. Funds
not committed Questionable
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Questionable Questionable Study
Yes No No
Yes Yes No
Yes
Yes
Questionable
No
Questionable
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Questionable
-------
included for the former. Benefit-cost ratios could be developed from informa-
tion in Chapter 9. They would be expressed as tons of phosphorus removed
over the cost for removal. Ratios were calculated and found not to be useful
in choosing between options because of the uncertainties about benefits and
costs in most cases.
As shown on Table 11-6, there are many questions concerning the feasibility,
cost acceptability, and social and environmental impacts of the options.
Table 11-7 elaborates on the feasibility questions, and Table 11-8 clarifies
the adverse environmental or social impacts noted on Table 11-6. A more
complete discussion of these points is included in Chapter 9.
Because of the many questions concerning the eutrophication control program,
a cautious approach has been taken. The program has been divided into a
short-range and a long-range plan. Four of the thirteen options are recom-
mended for short-range implementation. These include septic tank management
(#5), in-lake management (#6), erosion control for construction and mining
(#8), and consideration of water quality impacts in future water development
projects (#9). In order to treat the causes of eutrophication in Flaming
Gorge Reservoir, however, natural erosion must be controlled. Three options
(#2-4) address the control of natural erosion. Because of uncertainties
about the effectiveness of these options, and because of the major adverse
environmental and social impacts which may be caused by them, these options
have been recommended for further study rather than implementation. A detailed
presentation of the short-range plan is made on Figure 11-2. The designated
management function of each agency is presented on Table 11-9.
The long-range plan is contingent on the results of the studies on control of
natural erosion. If the three options are found to be implementable and
effective, the long-range plan would include the following options: point
source control (#1); range management and/or structural controls in Lower
Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek (#2 and #4); structural controls in Bitter
Creek (#3 and #4); erosion and manure control on farms and ranches (#7); and
phosphorus standards for Flaming Gorge Reservoir (#12) . The short-range plan
(#5, #6, #8, #9) would also be continued. If the three natural erosion
control options are found either not implementable or not effective, then the
program would be reduced to a continuation of three elements in the short-range
program (#5, #8, #9) along with either continued in-lake management (#6) or
no action (#13).
Figure 11-3 shows the eutrophication control plan if long-range options are
implemented. Phosphorus loads will increase under the energy export scenario
or coal export scenario because of population growth. The phosphorus loading
goal to the two arms of the reservoir was determined earlier in the chapter
and is equal to 121 tons per year (87 tons per year to the Green River Arm
plus 34 tons per year to the Blacks Fork Arm). The figure shows the large
gap between the goal and the existing phosphorus loading levels.
A decision point is called out in the figure during 1981, which corresponds
to the expected completion date of the grazing environment statement prepared
by BLM for the Muddy Creek and Little Muddy Creek areas. Until this date,
the short-range plan would be in effect. As shown in the figure, it has no
11-11
-------
Table 11-7
CLARIFICATION OF FEASIBILITY OF PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL OPTIONS
Option Clarification
2 Technologically questionable because effectiveness of revegetation
in desert-like environment is unknown.
2 Legally questionable because cattle and sheep may lose access to
streams and ranchers would require water rights for watering
holes.
2 Administratively questionable because controls would have to be
placed on Union Pacific land and it is unclear who would admin-
ister this action.
4 Legally questionable because a water rights issue would arise
with off-line sedimentation on evaporation ponds.
6 Technologically questionable for control of eutrophication on large
water bodies. Also, the capability of fly ash generated in the
study area to remove phosphorus is unknown.
7 Legally questionable for same reason as Option 2.
7 Administratively questionable because it is unclear if any agency
would want to take over this locally unpopular option.
10 Technologically questionable until further studies completed.
11 Administratively questionable because it is unclear if any agency
would want to take over this locally unpopular option.
13 Legally questionable because of possible conflict with 40 CFR 120,
EPA's regulation on water quality standards. The option may be
legally defensible because of the importance of natural sources
to phosphorus loadings and because of possible economic, environ-
mental, and social impacts of the control program.
11-12
-------
Table 11-8
CLARIFICATION OF ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL OR SOCIAL IMPACTS
OF PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL OPTIONS
Option Clarification
2 Restriction of access to water would increase government influence
in the area.
3 Structures would impact visual aesthetics. There may be a tem-
porary increase in erosion during construction. Option concerns
a control of natural processes for the benefit of an artificial
impoundment.
4 Same environmental impacts as Option 3,
5 Option would increase government influence in the area.
6 Toxic chemicals will be added to the reservoir.
7 Same social impact as Option 2.
9 Delay will occur in most water resources development projects
while water quality impacts are being assessed. This option may
prevent some water resources development on the grounds of water
quality impacts.
TO Environmental and social impacts unknown until further studies
are completed.
11 Option would increase government influence in the area and would
restrict individual choice.
^3 Flaming Gorge Reservoir would become progressively more eutroph'c*
Area may lose social esteem because of the loss of a national
recreation area.
11-13
-------
PAGE NOT
AVAILABLE
DIGITALLY
-------
CM
00
C\
l*0*tON CONTROL
LOWCM MUOOV
**0 LITTLE
*WftOV
I^OSlCf) COUTBOL
I* 81 TT£» CMS*'
SCPTIC TANK
l^-LAKE MANAGE"
"«'.t ran
'lami»j& copoe
>
oeo plan of
IMPLEMENTATION
1982
CO
00
as
SfcfeQPA
AC3*TS
>0* PLAN
FLAN
IliKEO BY
&OVl*NO»
[*0s I On COhTAOL
C* CO>;STRUCTIOr
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NO ACTION
CO»»5ioepATlON
OF MATE* L
C^*tITV IMPACTS
*"3SPhO*W*
CONTPOL»
*ALItAOIft
•AreajHEO
vet
IN-LAKE
SEE TABLE 11-9 OR TABLE 7-1 FOR
MEANING OF AGENCY ABBREVIATIONS,
CH2M
-------
Table 11-9
AGENCY DESIGNATED TO CARRY OUT SHORT-RANGE PHOSPHORUS AND SEDIMENT CONTROL PROGRAM
Element of Phosphorus and
Sediment Control Program
Range Management and Channel Im-
provement in Lower Muddy and
Little Muddy
Channel Modifications in Middle
and Lower Bitter Creek
Plan
BLM
208 Aqency,
BLM/DEQ, or
Private Con-
sultant
Finance
BLM (study)
208 Grants,
BR
Management Activity
Administer, Regulate,
Oversee Enforce,
Activities Monitor
BLM
SWWQPA,
WCC, or DEQ
Construct Facilities,
Enact Laws, Develop
Regulations
Operate Facilities
Structural Controls in Upper
Bitter Creek
208 Agency
BLM, DEQ, or
Private Con-
sultant
208 Grants,
BR
SWWQPA,
WCC, or DEQ
Septic Tank Management
In-Lake Management
Erosion Control for Construction
and Mining
County
FS, EPA
WHO, DEQ,
Mine Opera-
tor
County
EPA
WHO, Mine
Operator, Con-
struction Con-
tractor
County,
DHSS,
FS
DEQ, BLM,
USGS
County
EPA
DEQ, BLM,
USGS
County
DEQ. BLM, USGS,
Mine Operator, Con-
struction Contractor
Individual
WHO, Mine Ope-
rator, Construction
Contractor
Consideration of Water Quality
Impacts
Phosphorus Controls in Pali-
sades Watershed
WWPP, DEQ,
SE
EPA, 208
Agencies
Developer
EPA
IDWC
EPA
SE, DEQ
Abbreviations
IDWC Interdepartmental Water Conference
SWWQPA Southwestern Wyoming Water Quality Planning Association
WCC Wyoming Conservation Commission
DHSS Wyoming Department of Health and Social Services
SE Wyoming State Engineer
DEQ Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
WHO Wyoming Highway Department
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
FS U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
BLM U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
BR U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
USGS U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey
-------
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1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989
YEAR
FIGURE 11-3
RECOMMENDED PHOSPHORUS
NWS SEDIMENT COUTROL SUBPLAN
1991
1993
1995
CH2M
MHlll
-------
significant impact on existing loadings to the reservoir. However, the
short-range plan may be capable of reaching a water quality goal of fishable/
swimmable waters temporarily through a combination of the preventative (Options 8
and 9), the curative (Option 5), and the palliative (Option 6) actions. On
that date, the decision would be made on the effectiveness and implementability
of the natural erosion control measures. This decision would be made jointly
by SWWQPA or other designated 208 agency and by DEQ.
The figure indicates a possible long-range plan if the controls of natural
erosion were found implementable and effective. The slopes of the lines on
Figure 11-3 indicate an estimate of the time required for implementation of
the options. It has been estimated that it would take 2 years to design and
construct phosphorus removal facilities at the municipal wastewater treatment
plants and 10 years to implement all the controls of natural erosion called
out in the long-range plan. Given the rough estimates of maximum possible
effectiveness made in Chapter 9, the implementation of all elements in the
long-range plan would not reduce phosphorus loadings to the permissible goal.
Some in-lake management may still be needed.
THE SUBPLAN FOR OTHER ISSUES
Besides salinity and eutrophication, there are a number of other issues that
this 208 Plan must address. Some relate to management considerations, others
to institutional, and yet others directly to water quality problems. The
specific issues and the actions and impacts associated with them are given on
Table 11-10. All the actions listed on the table are recommended for the
short-range, which has been defined in this report as the next 5 years.
11-17
-------
Tabic 11 -10
RECOMMENDED short range plan for other water quality issues
Action
Poor water quality in
Bri'Jger Valley wells.
Institution*! fu**ines» in
urbanizing areal.
High instream fecet
col.'orm levels in soffit
reaches.
High ammonia levels,
wnc«rtao*aJ.
Further studies ort
sources.
Establish plans for
areas within S miles
of municipal
boundaries.
Specific sampling
program to locate
sources.
Change sampling
procedure to lake
simultaneous temper-
ature,
-------
-------
REFERENCES
CHAPTER 2—WATER QUALITY CRITERIA
CH2M HILL. Dec. 1976. Interim clean water report for Southwestern Wyoming.
CH2M HILL Project No. D9524.E0.
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. June 1975. Water quality
standards for salinity including numeric criteria and plan of implementation
for salinity control—Colorado River system. Draft copy.
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. Aug. 1975. Supplement including
modifications to "Proposed water quality standards for salinity including
numeric criteria and plan of implementation for salinity control Colorado
River system, June 1975."
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. Feb. 1977. Policy for imple-
mentation of the Colorado River salinity standards through the NPDES permit
program.
Davies, Patrick H., and Goettl, John P. July 1976. Aquatic life—Water
quality recommendations for heavy metals and other inorganic toxicants in
fresh water.
Deets,NeilA. Feb. 1977. Correspondence to SWWQPA concerning reivew by
U .S. Forest Service of the Interim clean water report for Southwestern
Wyoming.
Dufek, David J. June 1977. Correspondence to CH2M HILL from Green River
Area, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, concerning fisheries in the study
area.
Dunning, Glen. June 1977. Correspondence to CH2M HILL from Pinedale Area,
Wyoming Game and Fish Department, concerning fisheries in the study area.
Enden, Albert C. Feb. 1977. Correspondence to SWWQPA concerning review by
Department of Environmental Sanitation, Sweetwater County, of the Interim
clean water report for Southwestern Wyoming.
Facciani, Stephen, and Wiley, Robert W. Feb. 1977. Correspondence to SWWQPA
concerning review by Game and Fish Department of the Interim clean water
report for Southwestern Wyoming.
McKee, Jack Edward, and Wolf, Harold W. 1963. Water quality criteria.
National Academy of Science and National Academy of Engineering. 1972. Water
quality criteria 1972.
Ostrom, Jerry K. Feb. 1977. Correspondence to SWWQPA concerning review by
Rock Springs District of BLM of the Interim clean water report for South-
western Wyoming.
-------
U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline
and alkali soils. In Agricultural Handbook 60.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1972. Proceedings of the Seventh
Session of the conference in the matter of pollution of the interstate
waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries—Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona, California, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah. Volume I. Conference held
in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 15-17, 1972,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Oct. 1975. Quality criteria for water.
Prepublication draft.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Sept. 1976. National interim primary
drinking water regulations. EPA-570/9-76-003.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Aug. 1974. Wyoming water
quality rules and regulations, 1974. Chapter I. Water Quality Standards
for Wyoming.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Oct. 1976. Stream classifica-
tions in Wyoming.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Feb. 1977. Correspondence to
SWWQPA concerning interim report on water quality.
Wyoming State Engineer's Office. 1977. Correspondence to SWWQPA con-
cerning the review of the Interim clean water report for Southwestern
Wyoming.
CHAPTER 3—EXISTING INSTREAM WATER QUALITY
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1976. National eutrophication survey,
preliminary reports on Bear Lake, Big Sandy Reservoir, Flaming Gorge
Reservoir, Palisades Reservoir, Seminoe Reservoir, Viva Naughton Reservoir,
and Woodruff Narrows Reservoir.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. 1977. State of Wyoming water
quality inventory, 1976, 305(B) report.
Wyoming Water Resources Research Institute. Nov. 1972. An inventory and
evaluation of the game and fish resources of the Upper Green River in
relation to current and proposed water development programs.
CHAPTER 4—ECONOMICS OF USE IMPAIRMENT
Culligan Water Conditioning Company, Denver, Colorado. June 1977. Personal
communication.
Heckathorn, B. Soil Conservation Service, Casper, Wyoming. Aug. 1977.
Personal communication.
-------
Kite, Rodney C., and Schutz, Willard D. Aug. 1967. Economic impact on
Southwestern Wyoming of recreationists visiting Flaming Gorge Reservoir.
Prepared by Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Wyoming,
Laramie WY. Research Journal 11.
U.S. Department of the Interior. 1973. Final environmental statement for
the prototype oil-shale leasing program. Vol. 1 -IV. Washington D.C.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1972. Proceedings of the Seventh
Session of the conference in the matter of pollution of the interstate
waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries—Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona, California, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah. Volume I. Conference
held in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 15-17, 1972.
Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and Utah State Division of Fish and Game.
1964-1975. Green River and Flaming Gorge Reservoir post-impoundment
investigations, progress reports.
CHAPTER 5—CONTAMINANT SOURCES
Singleton, P. C. Aug. 1968. Characterization data of selected soils from
Sweetwater and Fremont Counties, Wyoming. Prepared by Agricultural Experi-
ment Station, University of Wyoming, Laramie WY. Science Monograph 13.
Soil Conservation Service. May 1975. Plan of study for USDA participation
in salinity control investigation for the Big Sandy River* Unit, Wyoming,
draft.
Soil Conservation Service. Aug. 1976. USDA plan of study for the Big Sandy
River Unit, Colorado River Basin salinity control study, State of Wyoming.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. June 1975. Salinity and sediment study—Upper
Colorado River Basin—Utah, Colorado, Wyoming.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. May 1976. Agricultural base of the Green
River Basin, Wyoming. Preliminary report. Prepared by the Green River
Basin Type IV Study Team.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. The mineral quality problems
in the Colorado River Basin, summary report.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1972. Proceedings of the Seventh
Session of the conference in the matter of pollution of the interstate
waters of the Colorado River and its tributaries—Colorado, New Mexico,
Arizona, California, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah, Volume I. Conference
held in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 15-17, 1972.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1976. National eutrophication survey,
preliminary reports on Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Palisades
Reservoir, and Woodruff Narrows Reservoir.
-------
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. 1977. State of Wyoming water
quality inventory, 1976, 305(B) report.
Yellowstone-Tongue Areawide Planning Organization. Agricultural report, water
quality management project, Broadus, Montana.
Zeizel, Eugene P. Dec. 1976. Agricultural activities and water quality in
Teton County, Wyoming.
CHAPTER 6—FUTURE WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS
CH2M HILL. Dec. 1976. Interim clean water report for Southwestern Wyoming.
CH2M HILL Project No. D9524.E0.
CH2M HILL. 1977. Green River-Flaming Gorge Reservoir water quality model.
CH2M HILL Project No. D10219.A0.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Sept. 1976. Sublette project investigation —
Resource base appendix. Draft report. Prepared by Upper Colorado Region
Office of USBR, Salt Lake City UT.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. June 1976. Working paper for Green River
Basin, Wyoming—The economic base. Prepared by the Creen River Basin
Type IV Study Team.
U.S. Department of the Interior. Sept. 1974. Final environmental impact
statement: Proposed contract for sale of municipal and industrial water
from Fontenelle Reservoir Seedskadee Project, Wyoming.
CHAPTER 7—EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Aug. 1975. Guidelines for State
and areawide water quality management program development. Washington D.C.
Wyoming Department of Economic Planning and Development. Nov. 1975. The
legal basis for planning and land use in Wyoming—A state, county, and
city handbook.
CHAPTER 8—CONTROLS FOR SALINITY
Burman, Robert D., and Loudon, Ted. June 1967. Evapotranspiration and
irrigation efficiency studies, Farson pilot farm. Prepared for Agri-
cultural Experiment Station, University of Wyoming, Laramie Wy.
Research Journal 10.
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum. Feb. 1977. Policy for imple-
mentation of the Colorado River salinity standards through the NPDES permit
program.
Skogerboe, GaylordV., Consulting Engineer. June 1973. Impact of proposed
China Meadows Dam upon salinity in the Colorado River Basin. Prepared for
the State Engineer's Office, State of Wyoming, Cheyenne.
-------
Tagart, R. J., Agee, D. E., and Clark, R. T. June 1971. Economic appraisal
of irrigation systems for the Green River Basin Wyoming. Prepared by
Agricultural Extension Service, University of Wyoming, Laramie WY.
Bulletin 548.
Wedemeyer, W. Gary, and Dobbs, Thomas L. June 1974. Financing and feasi-
bility of center-pivot sprinkler irrigation systems in Wyoming. Prepared
by Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Wyoming, Laramie WY.
Research Journal 72.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. 1977. Wyoming -water quality
rules and regulations. Chapter 7.
CHAPTER 9—CONTROLS FOR EUTROPHICATION
Dinger, Carolyn. Water Quality Division, Wyoming Department of Environmental
Quality. Aug. 1977. Personal communication.
Great Lakes-Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers. 1968.
Recommended standards for sewage works. Albany NY.
McTernan, William F. July 1977. Water quality determinations, mined lands
areas, northeastern Wyoming. Draft copy. Submitted to the Powder River
Areawide Planning Organization.
The Soap and Detergent Association. June 1977. The economic impact on
consumers of a detergent phosphate ban.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 1976. Twentieth annual report, Colorado River
storage project and participating projects, fiscal year 1976.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. May 1976. Agricultural base of the Green
River Basin, Wyoming. Preliminary report. Prepared by the Green River
Basin Type IV Study Team.
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. 1967. Manual of septic-
tank practice. Cincinnati OH.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1976. National eutrophication survey,
preliminary reports on Big Sandy Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Pali-
sades Reservoir, Viva Naughton Reservoir, and Woodruff Narrows Reservoir.
Vollenweider, Dr. Richard A. Sept. 30, 1970. Scientific fundamentals of
the eutrophication of lakes and flowing waters, with particular reference
to nitrogen and phosphorus as factors in eutrophication. Paris:
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Feb. 1975. Wyoming water
quality rules and regulations 1975. Chapter III Regulations for Permit
to Construct, Install, or Modify Public Water Supplies and Wastewater
Facilities in Wyoming.
-------
Wyoming State Soil and Water Conservation Needs Committee. June 1970.
Wyoming soil and water conservation needs inventory.
CHAPTER 10—CONTROLS FOR OTHER ISSUES
Wyoming Attorney Genera! V. Frank Mendicino and Special Assistant Attorney
General Steve F. Freudenthal. Letter dated June 2, 1976, to Carbon
County Attorney.
-------
APPENDIX A
WATER QUALITY AND FLOW
Monitoring Stations
Reach
1
2
3
4
5
9
10
Station Description
Snake River above reservoir near Alpine
Greys River above reservoir near Alpine, WY
Crow Creek near Fairview, WY
Salt River above reservoir, Etna, WY
Palisades Reservoir
Bear River south of WY border-USGS
Bear River near Utah-Wyoming station
Bear River above Bear River Ranger Station
Bear River south of Route 89 bridge,
Evanston
Bear River above reservoir near
Bear River north of Evanston
Bear River 5.5 miles north of Woodruff
Bear River below reservoir near Woodruff
Bear River below Woodruff Narrows Reservoir
Bear River 2 miles east of Woodruff
Woodruff Narrows Reservoir
Bear River south end Woodruff
Bear River at Cokeville 5432
Bear River at bridge 0.25 mile west
10-WY border
Bear River at Border from bridge
Bear River at Border, WY
Thomas Fork at Highway 30 bridge at mouth
Thomas Fork near Wyoming-Idaho station
Thomas Fork Creek at mouth at Highway 30
bridge
Thomas Fork near Border, WY
STORET or rWRDS
Number
13022500
13023000
13025000
13027500
161001,-002,-003,
-004,-005
000001-10011500
10011500
491456-B458. 45
5424
10020100
5425
000003
10020300
00002A-10020300
000002
561301,-302
5428
153596-151039
2080073
10039500
153564
10041000
2080080
10042700
-------
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Twin Creek at Sage, WY
10027000
Green River near LaBarge, WY
Green River below LaBarge
Green River above LaBarge
Green River below Fontenelle Reservoir, WY
Green River above Big Sandy Reservoir
Green River south of Fontenelle
Green River at Big Island, near
Green River at Big Island bridge
Green River near Green River, WY
Green River at Green River, WY
Green River at USGS gauging station
at Green River
Green River above Jamestown
Green River below Jamestown
Green River below Green River, WY
Green River at FMC Rec. bridge
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
LaBarge Creek near LaBarge Meadows
LaBarge Creek above Green River
confluence
Fontenelle Creek near Herschler Ranch
Fontenelle Creek at Buchas Ranch
Slate Creek at Highway 189
Big Sandy Reservoir
Big Sandy River below Eden, WY
Big Sandy River at 187 bridge north
of Far son
Big Sandy River at Simpson Gulch
09209400
5370
5371
09211200
5368
5369
09216300
5367
09217000
09216500
5365
5366
5362
09217010
5364
560501
560503,-504,-505
09208000
5372
09230500
5373
5374
560101,-102
09216000
5394
1280
-------
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
3 4
35
36
37
38
Big Sandy River at Gasson bridge, north
Big Sandy above mouth 5395
Big Sandy 26 miles below Farson
Pacific Creek above Jack Morrow Creek
near Farson
North Pacific Creek near Farson, WY
Pacific Creek near Farson, WY
Jack Morrow Creek near Farson, WY
Jack Morrow Creek, Site A
Bitter Creek above Salt Wells Creek
near Salt
Bitter Creek 6 miles east of Salt Wells
Bitter Creek at railroad bridge, 0.25
mile east of Rock Springs
Bitter Creek near Green River
Bitter Creek below Little Bitter Creek
Bitter Creek at Husky station east
of Flaming Gorge Road
Bitter Creek near Rock Springs STP,
downstream
Bitter Creek 3 miles east of Green River
Bitter Creek at Green River confluence
Salt Wells Creek near Salt Wells
Salt Wells southeast of Rock Springs
East Salt Wells Creek south-southeast
of Rock Springs
Killpecker Creek at Rock Springs
Killpecker Creek at wool warehouse,
Rock Springs
Blacks Fork near Millburne, WY
Blacks Fork near Millburne
Blacks Fork near Lyman, WY
Blacks Fork at Granger bridge
Blacks Fork at confluence with Hams Fork
09216050
1279
421140109124001
421200109124001
09215000
42104010914001
420205108551001
09216562
5401
5404
09216950
09216880
5400
5402
5405
5407
09216750
5409
5411
09216810
5403
09218500
1164
09222000
5389
5388
Blacks Fork River near Little America
09224700
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
560502
-------
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
West Fork of Smiths Fork near Robe
Smiths Fork near Robertson, WY
East Fork of Smiths Fork near Robe
East Fork of Smiths Fork near Robertson
West Fork of Smiths Fork near Robertson
Smiths Fork near Lyman, WY
Smiths Fork, Route 30, east of Lyman
Smiths Fork at Cottonwood Creek confluence
Muddy Creek near Hampton, WY
Muddy Creek above Rock Creek near Carter,
WY
Little Muddy Creek near mouth near
Hampton, WY
Little Muddy Creek near Glencoe, WY
Little Muddy Creek above North Fork
near Glencoe
North Fork Little Muddy Creek at Blazon
Junction
North Fork Little Muddy Creek tributary
no. 1 near Elko
North Fork Little Muddy Creek tributary
no. 2 near Elko
Viva Naughton Reservoir
Hams Fork Black Pole Creek near Front I
Hams Fork near Diamondville, WY
Hams Fork above Kemmerer
Hams Fork near Granger, WY
Hams Fork at Granger 5390
Henrys Fork at Linwood, Utah
Henrys Fork near Lonetree, Utah
Vermillion Creek near Hiawatha Creek
09220500
09221000
09220000
1275
1274
09221650
5420
5422
09222400
412522110295001
413316110162401
09222300
413517110340001
414127110332301
41435111D340501
414351110340901
561201,-202,-203
09223000
09224050
5393
09224450
09229500
09226000
09235300
(1) WRDS are 4-digit numbers; others are from STORET.
-------
Table B-1
INDUSTRIAL SALINITY XOSTS—PRESENT-DAY DEVELOPMENT,
GREEN RIVER BASIN1"
(1977 Dollars)
Industry Trona
Makeup Water Volume
ac-ft/yr
2
400 ymho/cm- Salinity 1,027.00
600 u mho/cm. Salinity 1,540.00
800 u mho/cm Salinity 2,139.00
Energy Needad
Btu/yr x 10
2
400 pmho/cm- Salinity 0.95
600 u mho/cm- Salinity 1.72
800 umho/cm Salinity 2.86
AnnuaL Energy Cost
$ x I0b
400 ymho/cm? Salinity 1.43
600 umho/cm. Salinity 2.58
800 ymho/cm Salinity 4.29
Annua L Treatment Cost
$ x 10°
50 mg/l Hardness 0.06
80 mg/l Hardness 0.16
110 mg/l Hardness 0.30
Total Annual Cost
$ x 10°
2
400 pmho/cm- Salinity 1.49
600 pmho/cm. Salinity 2.74
800 pi mho/cm Salinity 4.59
(1) Costs for heating boiler makeup water and for treating boiler and
cooling makeup water.
(2) All industries except Jim Bridger Power Plant.
-------
Table B-2
YEAR 2000, COAL EXPORT SCENARIO, GREEN RIVER BASIN
(1977 Dollars)
Industry Trona
Makeup Water Volume
ac-ft/yr
400 p mho/cm? Salinity 3,470.00
600 y mho/cm- Salinity 5,130.00
800 ymho/cm Salinity 7,125.00
Energy Neede/d
Btu/yr x 10
400 y mho/cm. Salinity 3.17
600 iimho/cm» Salinity 5.72
800 y mho/cm Salinity 9.53
Annua L Energy Cost
$ x 10b
2
400 y mho/cm- Salinity 4.75
600 y mho/cm- Salinity 8.58
800 y mho/cm Salinity 14.30
Annual,.Treatment Cost
$ x 10b
50 mg/l Hardness 0.44
80 mg/l Hardness 0.54
110 mg/l Hardness 1.02
Total Annual Cost
$ x 10°
400 ymho/cm„ Salinity 5.19
600 ymho/cm- Salinity 9.12
800 y mho/cm Salinity 15.3
(1) Costs for heating boiler makeup water and for treating boiler and
cooling makeup water.
(2) All industries except Jim Bridger Power Plant.
-------
Table B-3
YEAR 2000, ENERGY EXPORT SCENARIO, GREEN RIVER BASIN
(1977 Dollars)
Coal Oil
Industry
Trona
Gasification
Shale
T otaIs
Makeup Water Volume
ac-ft/yr
2
400 y mho/err^ Salinity
600 pi mho/cm- Salinity
800 y mho/cm Salinity
4,180
6,270
8,708
1,000
1,500
2,083
940
1,410
1,958
6,120
9,180
12,749
Energy Needad
Btu/yr x 10
2
400 ymho/cm2 Salinity
600 y mho/err^ Salinity
800 y mho/cm Salinity
3.87
6.99
11.6
0.93
1.67
2.78
0.87
1.57
2.62
5.67
10.2
17.0
Annual. Energy Cost
$ x 10b
2
400 y mho/cm- Salinity
600 ymho/cm. Salinity
800 ymho/cm Salinity
5.81
10.5
17.5
1.39
2.51
4.18
1.31
2.36
3.93
8.51
15.4
25.6
Annual Treatment Cost
$ x 10b
50 mg/l Hardness
80 mg/l Hardness
110 mg/l Hardness
0.28
0.66
1.26
0.06
0.16
0.30
0.06
0.14
0.18
0.40
0.96
1.84
Total Annual Cost
$ x 10°
400 ymho/cm2 Salinity
600 ymho/cm- Salinity
800 ymho/cm Salinity
6.09
11.2
18.8
1.45
2.67
4.48
1.37
2.50
4.21
8.91
16.4
27.5
(1) Costs for heating boiler makeup water and for treating boiler and
cooling makeup water.
(2) All industries except Jim Bridger Power Plant.
-------
Table B-4
COSTS FOR TREATING BOILER AND COOLING TOWER
MAKEUP WATER AT JIM BRIDGER POWER PLANT
(1977 DOLLARS)
Scenario
Present Day
Year 2000,
Coal Export
Year 2000,
Energy Export
Water
Diverted,
ac-ft/yr
30,000
30,000
60,000
Annual Treatment Cost
$ x 10*
400 y mho/cm'
Salinity
0.153
0.153
0.306
600 y mho/cm4
Salinity
0.230
0.230
0.460
800 y mho/cm'
Salinity
0.307
0.307
0. 614
-------
Table C-1
SUMMARY OF PRAPO PLAN TO CONTROL POLLUTION FROM MINING ACTIVITIES
Phase Agency Involved Action
Mine initiation BLM. USGS, Land Quality Division Control of exploratory drilling
of DEQ
Data acquisition DEQ Monitoring program
Mine permit application BLM with the advice of USGS, Permit issuance
Land Quality Division of DEQ
Mine initiation BLM, USFS. USGS, EPA, Onsite inspection and monitoring
Land Quality Division of DEQ,
Wyoming Game S Fish Commission,
State Engineer's Office
Mining USGS with assistance from BLM, Onsite inspections
Land and Water Quality Division
of DEQ
Post-mining BLM, Land Quality Division of DEQ Reclamation and pollution control
Recommended Management Practice
Properly apply the existing State
and Federal programs
Follow the quidelines found in
DEQ's performance criteria
Continue present practice
Ensure that mine plans are proper.jy,
implemented, reevaluate the site for
the suitability of mine plan specifics
and evaluate specific areas within
the mine plan in light of newly
acquired data.
Expand and reevaluate the data
base, reevaluate the reclamation
plans, implement the pollution
control practices in the mine
plans and properly inspect
and enforce to ensure
compliance.
Continue monitoring, develop
proper surface drainage,
control pollution from mat-
erial used in reclamation.
-------
(1)
APPENDIX D
GUIDELINES AND CRITERIA FOR DEVELOPING
SITE SPECIFIC BEST MANAGEMENT
PRACTICES IN STATE HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION
A. PLANNING AND DESIGN
1. Architectural and engineering drawings and specifications must include
sufficient information regarding the pollution control plan to permit
prospective contractors to bid and plan intelligently, and to ensure that
there will be no misunderstanding by construction personnel as to what is
required. Individual contractors and developers can then support the costs
of pollution control measures as part of their normal construction activities-
2. Construction contract documents will contain specific instructions as to the
temporary and permanent structural and vegetative control practices required,
the scheduling and coordination of activities, in addition to procedures fol
the maintenance and inspection of structural and vegetative controls for
graded areas, borrow pit areas, sediment spoil areas and soil stockpile
areas. In the event that a need for additional control becomes evident as
construction progresses, the contract also should contain provisions for
amendments which include such controls.
3. Provide adequate means of enforcing adequate review of and implementation
of erosion control specifications in the design plans and construction
contracts. The practices should be reviewed and approved by a responsible
management agency, and construction activities should be monitored closely
to ensure adherence to the plan and/or compliance with Wyoming Water
Quality Standards.
4. Interagency and local citizen participation is one way to ensure improved
pollution control before and during construction activities, and will be
provided for State projects through normal procedures of the Highway Depart"
ment Action Plan, and through required public participation programs of the
Water Quality Management- Process.
B. ' EROSION CONTROLS AND PROTECTION OF WATER QUALITY
1. Effective best management practices for road construction activities in-
volve the prevention as well as restriction of runoff, erosion and
other nps generation. Retain sediment at or near its origin rather than
trapping and disposing of it after is has left the construction site.
(1) From Wyoming State Highway Department.
-------
No activity shall be undertaken which will permanently degrade water
quality below present levels, in accordance with the antidegradation
standard as described in Wyoming. Water Quality Rules and Regulations.
Avoid channel changes wherever feasible. When channel changes are in-
volved, complete new channels, including scour and erosion protection,
before turning water into them.
The installation of sediment control structures normally should be done
before the start of grading, clearing or other on-site land disturbances.
Minimize the amount of land disturbed and the length of time it is ex-
posed by proper staging of the construction activities. In many cases,
a project can be planned so it is constructed in phases wherein segments
can be disturbed and stabilized in sequence rather than exposing the entire
area at the same time. This requires comprehensive planning and scheduling
of the various phases to maintain the overall schedule. Use stage grading,
seeding and sodding.
The BMP's developed must be appropriate for the duration of the activity,
time of year, and kind of equipment used. Avoid construction during wet
season or other undesirable runoff periods to minimize sedimentation into
stream. If construction is essential during such periods, sedimentation
damage will be minimized by installing debris basins or using other methods
to trap sediment. In addition, construction activities affecting stream
channels shall be limited to those periods when such activities will have
the least detrimental effect on the aquatic environment, unless emergency
situations deem otherwise.
Prior to construction, plan to preserve as much of the natural plant cover
existing on-site as possible: this can provide supplemental buffers for
controlling erosion and sedimentation during construction.
On lands impacted by stream channel operations and lands contiguous
to streams that have been altered by construction activities, reshape
to as near natural conditions as possible prior to revegetating.
Plan structural and vegetative measures that will protect environmentally
vulnerable areas. Vegetative soil stabilization practices such as direct
seeding, sodding, plugging and sprigging should be an integral part of
erosion control.
Re-vegetate disturbed lands and stream banks with native trees, shrubs.
-------
or grasses, if possible. If no source of native vegetation is available
use species which are similar to native vegetation.
11. Control the speed and volume of water runoff. (This can be controlled
most easily by using short slope lengths following natural contours to
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avoid high cuts and fills, and blending slope grades into the natural
landscape).
12. Detain stormwater on the construction site for sufficient time to trap
sand size particles. Use water diversion structures to divert water
away from graded areas.
Design culverts, bridges and other facilities to pass or to protect
against floods which may be reasonably expected to occur during the life
of the facility. Selection of the design flood shall consider the rela-
tionships between risk and hazard of failure and the costs (monetary and
nonmonetary) of providing protection.
13. All temporary roads associated with construction activities shall be
constructed to prevent eroded materials from reaching streams. This
may require waterbars or other structural measures.
14. Culverts or bridges shall be required on temporary roads at all points
where it is necessary to cross stream courses. Such facilities shall be
of sufficient size and design to provide capacity for the flow of water
anticipated during the period of use of the road. When the temporary road
is no longer needed for the purpose for which is was designed, all bridges
and culverts shall be removed. When such facilities are removed, asisociated
fills shall also be removed so that they will not be affected by the
stream. Removed fill material shall be shaped to blend with the natural
terrain, and all disturbed soil revegetated.
15. Upon completion of a project or activity, all temporary roads shall be
"erosion-proofed" by cross ditches, ripping, seeding, or other suitable
means. As needed, provide silting ponds or other facilities to prevent
silt-laden water from entering streams.
16. Do not use soil materials to cover the decks of temporary bridges.
17. When flow in a stream course is temporarily diverted to accomodate const*"uC~
tion or other activities, such flow shall be restored to the natural
course as soon as practical and in any event prior to a major runoff season.
18. All culverts shall be bedded and backfilled in accordance with approved
engineering practices.
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19. Design water collection systems installed to protect roads or facilities
so that waters turned onto slopes or into natural channels will not exceed
the safe capacity of the slopes or channels.
20. Riprap or other erosiorj protection materials should be of sufficient size
and placed in such a manner as to withstand peak flows comparable to a
25-year flood except where associated with major bridges which are designed
for passage of a 50-year flood.
21. Riprap or other protection materials shall extend below the bed of the
stream sufficient to protect against the predicted or recorded 25 or 50
year flood occurrence, as needed based on case by case evaluations.
22. Use riprap material that is of a quality that will not deteriorate during
the length of time that it is determined to be needed.
23. Place riprap and other erosion protection material in such a manner as
to prevent any downstream erosion.
24. Roadway sections parallel and contiguous to stream channels shall be so
designed, constructed and maintained to minimize concentrated surface
runoff from the roadbed and slopes. Special design features such as
slope drains, insloping, crowning, berms, or other facilities shall be
provided.
25. Conduct construction operations to prevent debris from entering stream
channels. In the event some debris is deposited and is detrimental,
it shall be removed in a manner that least disturbs the channel and
adjacent land. Cable yarding or handwork are usually acceptable.
26. In road construction, maintenance, and other earth-moving activities,
place the toe of overcast material above the high-water line. If the
structural barriers shall be used to prevent fill material from being
transported downstream.
27. Avoid operating wheeled, track-laying or other heavy equipment in stream
courses to the extent possible.
28. Locate and treat construction equipment service areas so as to prevent
gas, oil or other contaminents from washing or leaching into streams and
groundwaters. Storage of oils and hazardous substances must be conducted
in accordance with P.L. 92-500; Section 311 (Spill Prevention Control and
Countermeasures Plans, and Federal Register 38 (no. 237) Part 112).
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29. Remove borrow materials from stream channels only where this is not
detrimental to water quality, fisheries, channel hydraulics or re-
creational values.
30. Provide for proper disposal of sanitary wastes so there is no discharge
into streams.
PROTECTION OF AQUATIC LIFE
1. Protect or replace streamside vegetation when its removal can result in:
a) Increased stream temperature detrimental to aquatic habitat.
b) Increased turbidity, bedload, and suspended solids which would be
detrimental to fish-spawning beds or other aquatic habitat.
2. During construction and other activities affecting channels, protect
areas containing fish spawning beds; defer such activities above spawning
areas if they adversely affect eggs or alevins in the gravel.
3. When channel changes or alterations are the best alternative, provide
mitigating measures to foster replacement of the aquatic habitat to
as near natural conditions as is possible.
4. Where channel changes are deemed necessary, maintain natural channel
velocities in the afffected stream reach. This will be assured by
installing drop structures, by constructing acceptable meanders, or by
other approved methods. Where drop structures are installed they should
be designed to permit fish passage, if this is an established occurrence.
5. Culverts shall be placed in a position to allow for fish passage, in all
Class I and II streams.
6. Where water velocities are increased by the placing of a bridge or culvert
or other activity, precluding established fish movement upstream, install
suitable facilities to allow for unrestricted fish passage.
RECREATION AND AESTHETICS
1. In recreation areas, the following criteria should be followed:
a. Along altered streambanks provide slopes which are not barriers
to recreation use.
b. Unless absolutely essential for the purpose of correcting an
existing channel problem, to protect life and/or property, or to
enhance the aquatic environment, avoid stream channel changes and en-
croachments on streams within or contiguous to establish or pro-
posed recreation areas.
c. If access along a streambank is needed under a bridge span, to be
built over a large stream, provide a sufficiently long bridge to
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provide room for such access.
d. Where streams offer boating or floating opportunities, allow for
safe passage around or through structures or alterations and do not
detract from scenic qualities.
e. Where channelization is done, shape and re-vegetate the area in a
manner compatible with recreation use.
2. Consider the total scenic value in designing and constructing a road
that parallels a stream. For example, a stream channel change, properly
designed and constructed, might result in a road with less adverse visual
and physical impact than would construction of the road across a steep
slope.
E. POST-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
In order to assure that water quality objectives are met, certain post-construc-
tion practices must ±>e followed. In general, these practices are simply the
application of those elements of a good road maintenance program that apply to
water quality management.
1. Highway Facility. The roadway, roadside, appurtenances, and structures are
to be cleaned as needed. This requires a systematic inspection program. Of
particular interest are storm sewers and urban streets. Oil, grease and
decaying matter should be removed after a storm and frequent street sweepings
used to prevent the concentration of pollutants on the street surface.
2. Ice Control. When abrasives are used to provide traction, select a stockpile
site that will not contaminate a water source. If this is not possible, use
precautionary measures that prevent drainage into a water source. Use only
enough salt in the stockpile to keep it workable (usually 3% or less).
When salt is relied on solely as a melting agent for ice control, its use
should be accompanied with a timely sweeping and flushing program.
3. Slide and Waste Materials Disposal. Select a disposal site that will not
contaminate a water source. Suitable erosion control measures should also
be a part of the disposal action.
4- Pesticides and Herbicides. Follow manufacturers recommendations. Where
use is restricted, they must be applied by operators certified by the
State of Wyoming.
5. Point Source Discharge. Must obtain a permit from State Department of
Environmental Quality.
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6. Litter. Dispose of in land fill approved by the DEQ.
7. Sediment Traps and Other Erosion Control Structures. Follow a systematic
inspection, cleaning, and repair program. Follow appropriate management
practices in cleaning and repairing facilities.
8. Asphalt, Crushing and Screening Operations. Comply with Department of
Environmental Quality operating permit system.
9. Oil and Hazardous Materials. A Spill Prevention and Counter Measure Control
Plan is required for all asphalt pavement plants and fuel storage areas
wherein measures must be taken to prevent and control asphalt and oil
spills at plant sites.
Support is given to the States Hazardous Spill Plan which pertains to
measures to be taken in the event of spillage of hazardous materials while
in transit.
10. Roadway Contamination. When tests indicate that the highway facility is
causing a water quality problem, develop an appropriate solution based on
the best available technology.
F. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS
All construction activities must comply with legal restrictions and require-
ments imposed by the following Federal and State regulations.
a. Wyoming Water Quality Standards and related stream classifications, as
specified in the State 106 Program Plan.
b. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements
for point source discharge.
c. National Environmental Policy Act requirements.
d. Section 404 Dredge and Fill Permits (See Appendix D).
e. Section 311, Public Law 92-500, Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure
Plans; Federal Register 38 (no. 237) Part 112.
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