SELENIUM BUDGETS FOR LAKE POWELL AND THE UPPER COLORADO RWER BASIN 1

ABSTRACT: A selenium budget for Lake Powell, Utah‐Arizona was determined based on selenium loads at the principal stream input sites to and the output site from the lake. Based on data collected during 1985‐1994, 83 percent of the selenium entering Lake Powell is accounted for at the output site. The rest of the selenium may be incorporated by lake sediment or used by the biota. Considerably more selenium per unit area is produced from the Colorado River Basin above the Colorado River‐Green River confluence than from the Green River Basin and the San Juan River Basin combined. The Gunnison River Basin and the Grand Valley in Colorado produce an estimated 31 and 30 percent of the selenium that reaches Lake Powell, respectively. Irrigation‐related activities are thought to be responsible for mobilizing 71 percent of the selenium that reaches Lake Powell. Selenium concentrations in water at Imperial Dam on the Colorado River upstream of the United States‐Mexico international border are similar to those at the output site of Lake Powell. Therefore, most selenium observed in downstream areas of the Colorado River therefore probably is derived mostly from the Colorado River Basin above Lake Powell.

[1]  D. Nimick,et al.  Detailed study of selenium in soil, water, bottom sediment, and biota in the Sun River Irrigation Project, Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, and Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, west-central Montana, 1990-92 , 1996 .

[2]  R. Seiler.  Prediction of areas where irrigation drainage may induce selenium contamination of water , 1995 .

[3]  L. R. Herbert,et al.  Water resources data, Utah, water year 1994 , 1995 .

[4]  C. F. Smith,et al.  Water Resources Data, Arizona, Water Year 1994 , 1995 .

[5]  R. Krueger,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Dolores Project area, southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, 1990-91 , 1995 .

[6]  T. Presser.  “The Kesterson effect” , 1994 .

[7]  R. A. Engberg,et al.  Concentrations, distribution, and sources of selenium from irrigated lands in Western United States , 1993 .

[8]  J. G. Setmire,et al.  Detailed study of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Salton Sea area, California, 1988-90 , 1993 .

[9]  R. Krueger,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Pine River Project area, Southern Ute Indian Reservation, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico, 1988-89 , 1993 .

[10]  T. O'Brien,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the San Juan River area, San Juan County, northwestern New Mexico, 1990-91 , 1993 .

[11]  Jerry B. Miller,et al.  Detailed study of selenium and selected elements in water, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the middle Green River basin Utah, 1988-90 , 1992 .

[12]  R. Krueger,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre River basins and at Sweitzer Lake, west-central Colorado, 1988-89 , 1991 .

[13]  D. L. Peck,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Salton Sea area, California, 1986-87 , 1990 .

[14]  J. R. Ward,et al.  Methods for collection and processing of surface-water and bed- material samples for physical and chemical analyses , 1990 .

[15]  M. Fishman,et al.  Methods for determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial sediments , 1989 .

[16]  M. Berrow,et al.  Geological materials and soils. , 1989 .

[17]  Jerry B. Miller,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the middle Green River basin, Utah, 1986-87 , 1988 .

[18]  W. Kepner,et al.  Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the lower-Colorado River valley, Arizona, California, and Nevada , 1988 .

[19]  S. E. Rantz,et al.  Measurement and computation of streamflow: Volume 1, Measurement of stage and discharge , 1982 .

[20]  S. E. Rantz,et al.  Measurement and computation of streamflow , 1982 .

[21]  R. Train,et al.  Quality criteria for water , 1979 .

[22]  O. A. Beath,et al.  Selenium : its geological occurrence and its biological effects in relation to botany, chemistry, agriculture, nutrition, and medicine , 1949 .