High Spatial Resolution Water Quality in the Colorado and Green Rivers of the western US Can we see the trees for the forest?
Abstract
Despite the concerns of water quantity in the arid and semi-arid regions of the western US, there remain significant challenges to the quality of the water that is in question. Land uses such as agriculture, minerals and petrochemical extraction, and urbanization all have potential impacts on river water quality. Here we analyze spatially dense Lagrangian water quality data sets from over 100 miles of the Colorado and Green Rivers. These data sets reveal substantial change in water quality such as salinity and dissolved oxygen from end to end. However, along shorter segments, flowing through different land uses, persistent changes to water quality are observed (e.g., increasing salinity and nutrient concentrations through valleys dominated by agriculture). These spatial patterns of consistent water quality changes associated with land use and surrounding topography are made evident with these techniques and uncover potential locations for restoration or effluent management to improve river water quality.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021AGUFM.H25X1296G