Surface water geochemistry during snowmelt and monsoons in ... · Surface water geochemistry during snowmelt and monsoons in the Animas and San Juan Rivers Johanna M. Blake and Jeb

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Surface water geochemistry

during snowmelt and

monsoons in the Animas and

San Juan Rivers

Johanna M. Blake and Jeb E. Brown

New Mexico Water Science Center

Alisa Mast

Colorado Water Science Center

Navajo

ReservoirFarmington

Lake

Aztec

ReservoirWater quality sample location

Sediment sample location

Holistic Approach to Science• Multiple stakeholders, scientists

• Multiple locations sampled

• Different types of samples; water and sediment

Navajo

ReservoirFarmington

Lake

Aztec



Research Questions:

1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New

Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?

2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?

3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in

locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?

Gold King Mine

Durango

Farmington Aztec

1

23

4

5

New Mexico USGS Continuous Monitoring Sites1- Animas River near Cedar Hill

2- Animas River below Aztec

3- San Juan River at Farmington

4- San Juan River at Shiprock

5- San Juan River Four Corners

Field work: Sonde installation and

surface water sampling

Navajo

ReservoirFarmington

Lake

Aztec



Research Questions:






Hydrographs and sample timing

Animas River Cedar HillAztec

Cedar Hill

sampling events

Aztec

sampling events

San Juan River FarmingtonShiprockFour CornersFarmington

sampling events

Shiprock

sampling events

No water quality samples from Four Corners

Animas RiverTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.

Monsoon total concentrations are higher than snowmelt concentrations.

San Juan River-AluminumTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.

San Juan River-Lead and ArsenicTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.

Animas River has similar results

Navajo

ReservoirFarmington

Lake

Aztec



Research Questions:






Total Aluminum Concentrations Vs.

Streamflow (discharge) and turbidity

Units: Al (mg/L), streamflow (cfs), turbidity (NTU)

Data from all four sites

Preliminary data

Total Lead Concentrations Vs.

Streamflow (discharge) and turbidity

Units: Pb (mg/L), streamflow (cfs), turbidity (NTU)

Data from all four sites

Preliminary data

▪ Preliminary

▪ Add multiple parameters to a regression

equation at each site to optimize the model.

▪ Each site can be different and total versus

dissolved data can exhibit different model

results.

Regression based on all available data


ALUMINUM

Animas River near Cedar Hill

Dissolved aluminum vs. specific

conductance, discharge, and pH

Total aluminum vs. turbidity,

discharge, and pH

Preliminary data


Dissolved aluminum model

fit and prediction- discharge

and pH based

Total aluminum model fit and

prediction

ALUMINUM


No significant

regression

Preliminary data


LEAD


Dissolved lead vs. specific

conductance, discharge, and pH

Total lead vs. turbidity, discharge, and

specific conductance

Preliminary data


Dissolved lead model fit and

prediction- discharge and

SC based

Total lead model fit and

prediction- discharge and

turbidity based

LEAD


Preliminary data

Navajo

ReservoirFarmington

Lake

Aztec



Research Questions:






Sediment concentrationsSuspended Sediment Concentrations

Sediment chemistry

(Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2O

Sorption to Clay

Example: Montmorillonite

Abollino and others, 2003

Sorption to Sand

Example: Iron oxide

http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-

S0167732216329609-fx1.jpg

Metal total concentrations Vs.

Suspended sediment concentrations

• Al, Fe, and

SSC data in

mg/L; Pb and

As in ug/L

• Data from all

four sites

• Al, Fe, and As

have somewhat

linear relations

with SSC

• Pb has more

sporadic

pattern

Preliminary data

SNOWMELT

• Total As has a larger range in the San Juan River

• Lead in the San Juan and Animas Rivers have

similar concentrations

MONSOON

• Aluminum and lead concentrations are as much as

10X to 6X higher than concentrations measured

during snow melt.

Total water concentrations- Includes

dissolved and particulate matter

Preliminary data

Total water concentrations- Includes

dissolved and particulate matter

SNOWMELT

• Total As has a larger range in the San Juan River\

• Lead in the San Juan and Animas Rivers have

similar concentrations

MONSOON

• Iron and lead concentrations are as much as 10X

to 6X higher than concentrations measured during

snow melt.

Preliminary data

NURE sediment• Aluminum concentrations

are higher than iron on

the landscape from this

dataset

• What does this mean for

understanding the effects

of mine drainage versus

natural deposition?

Conclusions

Research Questions:



Total concentrations of aluminum, lead and arsenic (among other metals) are higher than dissolved

concentrations and increase during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events.


There are relations among discharge and turbidity (among other parameters) and aluminum and lead.

However, these relations differ between dissolved and total concentrations as well as site.

Regression models also vary based on dissolved and total concentrations as well as site.



Suspended sediment concentrations range from 10 to 10,000 mg/L depending on site and time of sample.

Al, Fe, and As have somewhat linear relations with SSC, however Pb has more sporadic pattern.

Relation between metals Pb and As and potential sorbents (Al and Fe) differ between snowmelt and monsoon

sampling.

Aluminum concentrations are higher than iron on the landscape from the NURE dataset.

Cooperators

▪ New Mexico Environment Department

▪ US Environmental Protection Agency

Thank you!

▪ [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Surface water geochemistry during snowmelt and monsoons in ... · Surface water geochemistry during snowmelt and monsoons in the Animas and San Juan Rivers Johanna M. Blake and Jeb

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