_ - oS i Se oe = & F FT, oS a , United States Environmental Monitoring rhea aaa “Environmen tal Protection and Support Laboratory \ arch 1979 Agency P.O. Box 15027 Las Vegas NV 89114 Research and Development BRERA AA MOAT TAT NP Ah fe SEPA | Environmental pe SALE fsa Monitoring Series \ Surface Water Quality Parameters for Monitoring Oll Shale Development apa sperma mint DOCUMENTS DEPARTMENT 3.54 9/9 U.S. DEPOSITORY a &. SITORY ee 70 C7 PS org ; a 4" ane be PUBL ''PUBLIC HEALTH Lb BERKELEY \ LIBRARY | A opercersryy GF |} TALFERRNY RARY RESEARCH REPORTING SERIES Research reports of the Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have been grouped into nine series. These nine broad categories were established to facilitate further development and application of environmental technology. Elimination of traditional grouping was consciously planned to foster technology transfer and a maximum interface in related fields. The nine series are: Environmental Health Effects Research Environmental Protection Technology Ecological Research Environmental Monitoring Socioeconomic Environmental Studies Scientific and Technical Assessment Reports (STAR) Interagency Energy-Environment Research and Development “Special’’ Reports Miscellaneous Reports CONUS ans This report has been assigned to thd ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING series. This series describes research conducted to develop new or improved methods and instrumentation for the identification and quantification of environmental pollutants at the lowest conceivably significant concentrations. It also includes studies to determine the ambient concentrations of pollutants in the environment and/or the variance of pollutants as a . function of time or meteorological factors. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 ''EPA-600/4~79-018 | March 1979 J SURFACE WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS FOR MONITORING OIL SHALE DEVELOPMENT by W. L. Kinney, A. N. Brecheisen, and V. W. Lambou Monitoring Operations Division Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory Las Vegas, Nevada 89114 U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND SUPPORT LABORATORY LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89114 ''DISCLAIMER This report has been reviewed by the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory-Las Vegas, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. ii ''T DIGS Pre KSS/ 1979 IU bk FOREWORD Protection of the environment requires effective regulatory actions which are based on sound technical and scientific information. This information must include the quantitative description and linking of pollutant sources, transport mechanisms, interactions, and resulting effects on man and his environment. Because of the complexities involved, assessment of specific pollutants in the environment requires a total systems approach which transcends the media of air, water, and land. The Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory-Las Vegas contributes to the formation and enhancement of a sound monitoring data base for exposure assessment through programs designed to: e develop and optimize systems and strategies for monitoring pollutants and their impact on the environment e demonstrate new monitoring systems and technologies by applying them to fulfill special monitoring needs of the Agency's operating programs This report assesses the potential local and regional impact of an oil shale industry on surface water resources within the Colorado River Basin, and recommends chemical, physical, and biological parameters which can be used to assess the environmental impact on surface water resources. Potential users of the information include federal, state, and local environmental and public health agencies as well as private organizations engaged in water quality monitoring and assessment. For further information contact the Water and Land Quality Branch, Monitoring Operations Division. Drerse SB Wlerqen. George B. Morgan Director Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory Las Vegas iii ''PREFACE The status of oil shale as an alternative domestic energy source has been in a state of flux since the inception of the prototype leasing program in 1971. Initially, four tracts of public land, of approximately 2,070 hectares each, two in Colorado and two in Utah, were leased to private industry for the purpose of commercial development of shale oil on a prototype scale, using various technologies and technology mixes. Original plans for development on all tracts involved surface or underground mining followed by surface processing of the oil shale and shale oil. In situ processing technology was still in the experimental stages when the federal lease program was initiated, and prospects for application of in situ technology on a commercial scale prior to 1980 seemed remote. A number of factors have significantly altered the direction and rate of development of the industry. Spiraling developmental and production costs coupled with uncertain world market crude oil prices have purportedly dampened the economic incentive of many of the participating companies, and a number of original investors have withdrawn from the venture. The lease of the Utah tracts has been suspended and currently there are no firm plans for development in these tracts. Development in Colorado's Piceance Basin appears imminent but current plans are to use modified in situ processes on both the C-a and C-b tracts. Modified in situ technology requires some surface processing and/or stockpiling since about 20 percent of the shale must be mined out, processed, and disposed of or stockpiled at the surface before in situ retorting can occur. Our consideration of the environmental problem addressed in this report was predicated on the assumption that surface processing would follow underground or aboveground mining rather than threugh utilization of modified in situ technology. Although surface retorting is not currently being considered as a primary processing technique for development on federally leased tracts C-a and C-b, it is likely that application of surface retorting technology will escalate throughout the oil shale area as the industry continues to develop. A federally sponsored surface retort is currently in operation at Anvil Points producing shale oil for large scale refining tests by the Office of Naval Research which is investigating the feasibility of converting shale oil to fuel for use in military vehicles. The Department of Energy (DOE) is apparently promoting continued development of surface retorting technology, and is requesting 1979 funding for emergency leasing of a full-scale surface module. The Director of the Department's Laramie Energy Research Center (LERC) feels that by the 1990's surface techniques will be stronger than in situ techniques and many surface facilities will be in operation (Maugh 1977). iv ''ABSTRACT This report develops and recommends prioritized listings of chemical, physical, and biological parameters which can be used to assess the environmental impact of oil shale development on surface water resources. The derivation of the list and the prioritization of the parameters are based on a review of current information regarding potential pollutants and the severity of the possible impact on ambient water quality with respect to water use criteria. Each of the potential water-related problems is addressed in the context of the probable cumulative regional impact of a maturing, commercial oil shale industry and in terms of local impact resulting from the prototype operation initially planned on leased public lands. The possible effects of potential pollutants on ambient water quality and the resulting impact on aquatic life, public water supplies, livestock, irrigation agriculture, and selected industries are evaluated. Where sufficient data are available, attempts are made to relate historical, current, and projected water quality data to water quality criteria for various water uses. ''''CONTENTS Foreword, . . . 1... «© «© ee ww ew ww ew Preface ». a a see we ee ETT ee ee Abstract, ...... List of Figures ........... som & List of Tables , , , Sections l. Introduction, ..........4.426-. 2. Conclusions and Recommendations , , , , , 3. Water Requirements and Availability ., , , Use Requirements ...........6-. Supply «cee Rea kw ee Surface Water .........0.640.4. Subsurface Water .,.,,......4.-. By-Product Water re 4. Potential Impact of the Oil Shale Industry Salinity SOUTTES . cs it te tae ee Ambient’ Levels , , IMpacE « © « » ®% ee 6 HW ww % HHH Toxic Substances .......+24+e0e. Sources . 2. 2. 2. 2 © © © © © © ew ew ° e e e . ° ° e ee e ° ° . . ° Ambient Levels ..... «6 © «© «© © «° Impact « 8 «© «© # ee eH we we HH ® Nutrients ie we HSH He TH w yw 8 Sources Pe eo er a ee Ambient Levels .......4.4.24e64e8-. Impact .« 6. 6 «6 © © © © 6 © we ow eh ww Hydrographic Modification. ....... General . 2. 2. 2. 6 © 2 © © © we ew www Creation of New Impoundments ..... Drainage of Existing Impoundments.. . Diversion of Natural Drainage..... Flow Depletions ........224.-. Streambed Disturbance ......... Impact « «© 6 «© © ee ew we ww we we ws Microorganisms . . +. «+ «6 «6 « « « «© 6 « vil iii iv wn K ¢ 10 10 10 10 17 19 21 21 21 25 37 45 45 50 55 64 64 66 69 70 70 71 71 71 71 72 72 73 ''CONTENTS Radioactivity ......s.e... Sources «© «§ «© «© «© © © «© w @ @ Ambient Levels -...... Impact + © «© «© «© «© «© © © «© Oil and Grease +»... ..e+ se. Temperature - - . + +». . «2 (Continued) ° e ° . ° . Causes of Temperature Alteration .-... Impact ee 8 ee ee © ee he Sediments . .....+s..-ee- Sources - . . 2. 2. 6 «© «we ef Ambient Levels ....... Impact «.« « « 6 « © «© « wo e Dissolved Oxygen ...... Sources of Oxygen and Causes of Depletion Ambient Levels ...... Impact . .......ee-e Acidity, Alkalinity, pH, and Car bon Dioxide Relationships and Causes of Variations . Ambient Levels «+ + + s+ ee Impact «© +» « « «© » «© » we we ° ° . e e D5 Recommended Water Quality Parameters .... Chemical and Physical ..... Biological ........ Significance of Biological Monitoring . . Selection of Parameters ... References ........ «es «eee Appendix A: Conversion of Text Tables 1, 2, 3, Metric Units ........eee-. vili 74 74 74 76 77 77 77 78 79 79 79 80 83 83 85 88 89 89 91 91 96 96 - 112 112 122 126 132 ''Number LIST OF FIGURES Location of oil shale deposits of the Green River Formation. Tracts U-a/U-b, C-a/C-b and the major drainages are shown. .. 3 Map showing the drainages in the oil shale area of Utah and ColoradOs sees eee we He ee ee ee le ewe A Seasonal runoff patterns of the White River at Ignatio Station near Watson in water year 1970. . . «2 6 6 © © © © © © © © © @ LS Variability of discharge of the White River at Ignatio Station near Watson, Utah, years 1924-70. . .....4..4.4+.46424+2--~. 16 Diagrammatic section across the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado. 18 Range of water quality in the lower Uinta Formation (formerly the Evacuation Creek Member of the Green River Formation) and in the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. ..... 26 Map of the principal drainages of the Colorado River Basin and locations of the U.S. Geological Survey sampling stations used to determine ambient water quality. .............. 321 Surface water quality stations and biological sampling sites near Federal tracts U-a/U-b. . .,.... ew ww ew ew ew ew ew ww 38 ix ''LIST OF TABLES Number 1 Contingent water consumption forecasts for a l-million- barrel-per-day shale oil industry - ». +... +... ee ee 2 Ranges of water use for various rates and methods of shale oil production .« «6 2. 6 2 6 ew ew we ww ew ee wt we 3 Summary of streamflow records of streams draining the Colorado oil shale area + - - -© + «© ee ew ew we we ee 4 Water required and produced by two single mines for a projected 30-year period of shale oil production +--+... 5 Causes of salinity changes at Hoover Dam (1942-61 period of record adjusted to 1960 conditions) - +--+... ...s.s.e.. 6 Mineral composition of spent shale ash «+--+... -s+ee-s 7 Typical composition of raw oil shale sections averaging 25 gallons of oil per ton from the Mahogany zone of Colorado and Utah see « © & ee HH 6 Se we we ee ww 8 Summary of geologic units and their water-bearing characteristics in the Piceance Creek Basin ....... 9 Ranges and mean values of major specific ions, total dissolved substances, and specific conductivity in the Colorado River Basin surface waters at selected locations during 1964-65 «© «© «© 2 © «© © ew we we ew ww ew ee 10 Ranges and mean values of major specific ions, total dissolved substances, and specific conductivity in the Colorado River Basin surface waters at selected locations during 1968-69 . «© «© 2. ee we ww ww we ww we ee ee 1l Selected water quality data near tracts U-a/U-b, White River 12 Piceance Creek water quality data December 1970 to December 1972 -© + «© «© «© «© «© «© «© «© © © © © © © © © © © © © 13 Piceance Creek water quality data October 1972 to September 1973 + «© «© «© «© © «© «© «© © © © © ow ew ew we ew ww ''Number 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 LIST OF TABLES (Continued) Recommended guidelines for salinity in irrigation waters for arid and semiarid regions . .........6.e8-. Guidelines for the use of saline waters for livestock and poultry .. wwe 8 6 ewe Hw Hw eH ew ww we Summary of specific quality characteristics of surface waters that have been used as sources for industrial water Supplies . «8s «se vee we ee Concentrations of minor constituents in water after intimate contact with retorted shale .,........-. Concentrations of trace elements in spent oil shale ash from the Mahogany ledge of the Green River Formation in Colorado and Utah ..... 4... 1 ee eee we eee Concentrations of trace elements in pyrolyzed oil shale from the Mahogany ledge of the Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin in Colorado ........2.2.2.8088 Catalysts and chemicals required for a 50,000-barrel- per-day operation. . .... +s es ee © we ew ew vee Maximum concentrations of trace minerals reported at selected sampling locations on the Green River and Colorado River during 1962-67 ,,.....4.4.2.22.4e.88 Minimum and maximum concentrations of various inorganic constituents reported in the Colorado River at Yuma, Arizona during 1958-59 ., ,,.,,.,..2.4.2.42. 6.8 0068 Maximum concentrations of Boron, Fluoride and Iron at selected sites on the Colorado, Green and White Rivers during the 1964-65 and 1968-69 water years ....... Maximum concentrations of trace elements reported at four sites on the White River adjacent to leased tracts U-a/U-b during period from late August 1974 to August 1975 , , , Ranges and mean concentrations of phenols and cyanides reported in the White River and Evacuation Creek adjacent to tracts U-a/U-b during the period August 1974 to August 1975 Concentrations of various pesticides reported at selected locations in the Colorado River System during 1964-68 , ,. .. xi 43 44 46 46 47 48 51 52 53 54 55 56 ''LIST OF TABLES (Continued) Number Page 27 Maximum concentrations of specific constituents in waters that have been used as sources for industrial water supplies sce we ew eH eee) we we we we eh Rw! we Ww HF ee we we w DP 28 Water quality criteria for maximum recommended concentrations of trace elements in cropland irrigation waters -.+.+.... 59 29 Water quality criteria for maximum recommended concentrations of trace elements in waters to be used for drinking water, livestock and the support of aquatic life .+.+..+.... . 60 30 Recommended maximum concentrations of common insecticides in whole (unfiltered) water for the protection of aquatic life os 6 <6 ws 2 wwe Hh ww we Oh ee Ow Ow hh! hUmhU!hUh!hU! UH! hw «GL 31 Recommended maximum concentrations of selected pesticides in waters used for human intake and livestock ....... . 62 32 Recommended maximum concentrations of herbicides, fungicides and defoliants in whole (unfiltered) water for the protection of aquatic life . 2» 6 «# «.2 © © we we wo bw we te we ww tl lw wl wt 62 33 Various toxic substances in water and recommended maximum concentrations for the protection of man and aquatic life .. 63 34 Estimates of nutrient contributions from various sources... 65 35 Ambient levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) in the Colorado, Green and White Rivers at selected locations during water years 1965 and 1969 .... 2... © © © © © © © © © © ew ew oe es 67 36 Ambient nutrient data for the White River near tracts U-a/U-b, August 1974 through August 1975 ........... 68 37 Nutrient water quality criteria for designated beneficial water uSe€S «6 6 2 6 6 ee we ww we we we ew we wt ww hw ew 70 38 Radionuclide emissions to the air from a 100,000-barrel- per-day oil shale mining, retorting, and upgrading operation . 75 39 National drinking water regulations for radioactivity .... 76 40 Maximum daily suspended sediment concentrations at selected locations . «© 2. 6 2 6 © 6 © © © ee we ww ww we we ww ew ee Bl xii ''LIST OF TABLES (Continued) Number Page 41 Maximum, minimum and mean dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon levels reported at selected locations on the Green, White and Colorado Rivers during the pefiod 1968-/6 . 461 st sw wees te we ew BS 42 Maximum, minimum and mean dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand and total organic carbon values reported in the White River, Utah during the period 1974-76 .... . 87 43 Ranges and mean pH values reported in Colorado River Basin surface water at selected locations during 1964-65 and 1968-69 ° . . ° . . . . e ° e . . ° . . . . . e ° . . ° e ° ° 92 44 Ranges and mean pH and CO) values in the White River adjacent to leased tracts U-a/U-b, August 1974 to August 1975 2. 2. © © ws # we wee He we wee we UH Uh Uhhh wh he COD 45 Recommended pH Water Quality Criteria for designated beneficial uses of surface waters , .........2..-.e 94 46 Maximum recommended limits for alkalinity, acidity, and pH for water to be used for various industrial purposes , , , 95 47 Prioritization of parameters for monitoring the impact of oil shale development on surface water quality , . . 99 48 Priority "A" Chemical and Physical Parameters to be measured in surface waters ........ 6.6 06-0 «eee. 113 49 Priority "B" Chemical and Physical Parameters to be measured in surface waters , ,.,.......2-e..«-e-«.-. 116 50 Priority "C" Chemical and Physical Parameters to be measured in surface waters ., ., .,......6.6-.-e.-«.«-e-e 118 51 Priority "A" Biological Parameters , , ,.,,,...... 123 52 Priority "B" Biological Parameters , , , ,..,..,...... 125 xiii ''''1. INTRODUCTION Development of an oil shale industry on the semiarid western slope of the Rocky Mountains poses a threat to the water resources of the Colorado River Basin. A mature oil shale industry (l-million-barrels-per-day)%and associated industrial and urban development would consume large quantities of high quality water and require the disposal and displacement of large volumes of wastewater and saline ground water. In addition, contamination of surface waters from point and nonpoint sources would be an ever present threat during developmental and operational stages. This report develops and recommends prioritized listings of chemical, physical, and biological parameters which can be used for monitoring and assessing the environmental impact of oil shale development on surface water resources. High quality freshwater is a scarce resource throughout much of the western United States. Any activity which potentially degrades or consumes large quantities of freshwater must therefore be continually scrutinized and rigorously controlled to ensure that the impact on water resources is minimized. The total impact of a mature oil shale industry on water resources cannot be quantitatively assessed until long after production on a commercial scale has begun. Many unknowns confront the investigator who attempts to develop predictive capabilities to forecast the nature and magnitude of such effects. Accurate prediction requires a thorough knowledge of the hydrological and geological regimens of the area and an understanding of the transport routes and fates of pollutants mobilized by man's activities and released to subsurface and surface water. Although the oil shale area has been studied for many years, most efforts have been directed towards delineating the areas of high quality, oil-bearing shale. Until recently, the water resources of much of the area had only been superficially studied. Consequently, the geology of the area is fairly well described, but hydrological data, particularly subsurface water data in some sectors are conspicuously lacking. @To aid readability, the units (acre-ft) and (ft3/s) expressions (English) are me soLeiaee in the text followed by, the metric equivalents [in cubic meters (m3) and cubic meters per second (m3 /s), respectively | in parentheses. The unit “barrel” is neither a metric nor an English measurement but is an industrial term. One barrel equals 42 gallons or 158.87 liters of oil. We believe presenting the data in this manner renders the information more meaningful to personnel involved in all disciplines. All other units of measure are expressed in accordance with the modernized metric system. Totally converted tables using metric units appear in Appendix A. ''The Federal prototype oil shale leasing program is designated to provide for the assessment of the environmental impact of development and operation of small-scale commercial industries using various mining and processing technologies. [See USDI (1973) vol. III, ch. V, for discussion of mitigating measures and lease provisions.] Four tracts of public lands of approximately 2,073 hectares, two in Colorado and two in Utah (Figures 1 and 2), were leased by industry from the Federal government for purposes of oil shale development. Extraction and processing would occur under rigorous guidelines as stipulated by the conditions of the lease in an effort to minimize environmental impact. If development proves to be environmentally acceptable and economically profitable, a mature commercial industry may evolve from the Federal prototype leasing program. Provisions of the lease require self-monitoring by the industry as specified by the Area Oil Shale Mining Supervisor of the U.S. Geological Survey prior to, during, and subsequent to developmental activities (USDI 1973, vol. III, p. V-42). Baseline environmental quality data collection systems were in operation for approximately two years. The Water and Land Quality Branch, Monitoring Operations Division, of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory, Las Vegas, Nevada, has been conducting a program designed to test and evaluate water quality monitoring techniques in the oil shale area of Colorado and Utah as part of its nonpoint source pollution assessment and monitoring procedures development program. The Las Vegas laboratory's experimental monitoring program was operated and tested primarily on the reach of the White River adjacent to the Utah tracts, with minimal testing in the upstream reaches in Colorado. Since water quality data compiled by the industry and the U.S. Geological Survey were available for comparative purposes, an excellent opportunity was presented for testing and assessing monitoring techniques and procedures. An initial step in monitoring design is the identification of those biological, chemical, and physical parameters most appropriate for measurement as a mechanism for quantitating the impact of development of the industry on surface water resources. The derivation of the list of recommended parameters presented in this report is based on a review of current information regarding potential pollutants from oil shale development and their possible impact on water quality and the biota. Each of the potential water-related problems is addressed in the context of the probably cumulative regional impact of a maturing, commercial oil shale industry and in terms of local impact resulting from the prototype operation initially planned on leased public lands. The possible effects of potential pollutants on ambient water quality and the resulting impact on aquatic life, public water supplies, livestock, irrigation agriculture, and selected industries are evaluated. Where sufficient data are available, attempts are made to relate historical, current, and projected water quality data to water quality criteria for the various water use categories. The water quality criteria data were extracted primarily from an EPA- funded document entitle "Water Quality Criteria - 1972" produced by the 2 '' > 344978N8 p— 4 ES. SWF : “(pZ6L) LLbYSUeW :aduNnOS \ ‘\ *umous due SebeuLeup uofew \ 94} puke g-9/e-).*q-/e- SszdeuL \ ‘*UOLZeWUO UAALY UBaUNH |aY. JO \ szlsodap apeys {LO 40 uoLzeD07 “| aunbL4 \ \ \ 5 \ dew xapuy '' | Y fone MA iS. ian Pe oan no : AN | cf ¥ \ / g |) a | ‘9 | \ ae oo, | 5 gue septic lain 30in9 153M NVICIaW "(ePS6L *8S6L) AeAuns LeoLBoLoa9g *S “ff :adun0S “Opeuoloy) pue yein $O eauRe aleyus [LO 94} UL SabeuLeup ay} Butmoys dew ‘zg aunbl4 \ 153M NwiaIWaW 3hIND xnv HizT Se CATE ne. bas -1+ 4 a 2 / 1 ‘ > | { “ vt * os at . 'S : = o % —— = : * #2; 2 = 2 j 2 a €1 ; hy, - * em ~ of _ - oes os ‘ “3 $ s ¥ / vo Oe voawutes Se, | ' S oy | "Oy, “a4 1 v ''National Academy of Sciences (NAS 1973). The Agency has recently released a preliminary draft of its own water quality criteria document which differs somewhat from the NAS (1973) version. The NAS document, however, was the most current published water quality criteria document available through the Agency at the time this report was prepared. The parameter list presented here is tentative and subject to revision as circumstances dictate. Possibly, additional parameters will be added, some existing parameters deleted or assigned different priorities as information gained from field and laboratory testing warrants. The parameter list is not all-inclusive and should not be interpreted as meeting Agency water quality sampling or monitoring requirements for oil shale development, but it is envisioned that such a parameter list may evolve from the program. Absence of a particular parameter from the list should not be construed to mean that the parameter in question is of no significance and can be ignored. Insufficient information is currently available to assess the pollution potential or level of hazard of a number of constituents (e.g., trace organics) which may be subject to release and mobilization as a result of industrial and associated urban development. The report makes no attempt to recommend sampling frequencies, techniques, detection levels, or locations at this stage in the program. These monitoring aspects will be addressed in later reports. ''2. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The establishment of a commercial oil shale industry on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains poses a threat to the water resources of the Colorado River Basin, both on a Regional and local scale. The nature and magnitude of the impact to water resources as a consequence of oil shale development cannot be predicted with certainty. A number of extractive and processing technologies are currently approaching commercial developmental stages and several small-scale facilities have been periodically operated on a prototype scale for several years. However, none has.been applied in this .country.in a full-scale commercial venture. The potential impact to water resources varies greatly with the different mining and retorting methods utilized and with the size of the operations. Water use requirements, with respect to both quality and quantity, are highly variable depending upon the technology applied. Similarly, volumes of solid wastes and wastewaters generated (including highly mineralized groundwater from mine dewatering operations) and subsequent disposal requirements are also primarily dependent upon the technologies utilized and volumes of raw materials processed. The Federal prototype leasing program was designed in part to provide for the assessment of the environmental impact of small-scale commercial oil shale industries utilizing a mix of technologies at various rates of operation. To effectively assess the impact of such development on water resources and beneficial water uses, thorough baseline characterization of water quality and quantity during pre-developmental stages is a fundamental prerequisite. An obvious additional requirement for the detection and quantification of physical, chemical and biological changes and for relating such changes to causative factors is the establishment and operation of an effective monitoring system. _An initial step in the design of monitoring systems is the identification of those parameters most appropriate for incorporation into a comprehensive monitoring network. This is an extremely critical aspect of monitoring design for new industries such as oil shale, since the impact on beneficial water uses could be substantial. This report presents a prioritized list of chemical, physical and biological parameters recommended for monitoring surface waters potentially impacted by oil shale developmental activities. Parameters recommended include those substances which in themselves are potential pollutants and are measurable directly, as well as those indicator parameters whose measurements provide an indirect measure of environmental disturbance or pollution or are required for the interpretation of other water quality data. 6 ''Physical and chemical parameters recommended for monitoring are categorized by priority "A", "B" or "C", and the specific form most appropriate for monitoring is identified. Priority "A" physical and chemical parameters are recommended for intensive monitoring because: (1) very slight changes in their ambient levels would render water unacceptable for specified designated beneficial water uses; (2) changes in ambient levels would be indicative of potentially deleterious changes in water quality characteristics; or (3) data are required for the interpretation of other water quality data. Priority "B" physical and chemical parameters are recommended for routine monitoring of a lower intensity than that for those parameters in the priority "A" category because slight changes in ambient levels can be tolerated without exceeding established limits for designated beneficial water uses. The measurement of parameters in this category should be in addition to those in the priority "A" category but at reduced frequencies. Priority "C" physical and chemical parameters are recommended for periodic monitoring in addition to those in the "A" and "B" categories to characterize water quality with respect to ambient levels of particular constituents and designated beneficial water uses. An increase in salinity is one of the major potential impacts resulting from developmental activities, through both salt loading and salt concentrating effects. To assess the rate and impact of increased salinity levels, total dissolved solids, conductivity, hardness and the principal cations and anions (sodium, potassium, magnesium, sulfates and chloride) are recognized as highly significant parameters (priority "A" parameters) and are recommended for intensive monitoring. Calcium and carbonates are priority "B" salinity-related parameters recommended for routine monitoring. Among the trace elements aluminum, boron, copper, fluoride, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel and zinc are recommended as priority "A" category parameters. The potential for release and mobilization of these elements as a result of development is high, and very slight changes in ambient levels could render water unacceptable for a number of beneficial water uses. Such elements as arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lithium, selenium, and silver are recommended as priority "B" parameters. While these elements are potential pollutants, ambient levels are relatively low, and slight increases in levels would not interfere with beneficial water uses. Antimony, bismuth and bromine are examples of priority “C" parameters which require periodic monitoring. A number of miscellaneous toxic substances are identified as potential pollutants, but only cyanide, phenols, and organochlorine pesticides are recommended as priority "A" parameters. Organophosphorus pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and phthalate esters are recommended as priority "B" parameters, and the LAS detergent builders and certain miscellaneous pesticides are in the priority "C" category. Macronutrients which promote excessive growth of aquatic plants include various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus. Since eutrophication is not expected to be a major problem as a consequence of development of an oil shale industry, most nutrient forms fall in the priority "B" or "C" categories. However, because slight increases in nitrate nitrogen and ammonia could render ''water unacceptable for certain designated beneficial uses, these nitrogen forms are recommended as priority "A" parameters. None of the radionuclides are expected to increase to the level where beneficial water uses will be impaired as a result of oil shale development. All radionuclides are recommended as priority "B" or "C" parameters. Since potential for release of oils is relatively high, intensive monitoring of visible oils on the surface and emulsified oils is recommended (priority "A"). Hexane extractable substances in streambed sediments are recommended for periodic monitoring (priority "C" parameter). Temperature is a critical measurement for two reasons: (1) increases may occur as a result of developmental activities to the point where aquatic life may be adversely affected, and (2) temperature affects the chemical and biological activity of a number of parameters. Consequently, water temperature is a priority "A" parameter recommended for intensive monitoring. Suspended sediment levels can be expected to increase as a result of developmental activities. Both suspended sediments (solids) and turbidity (an indication of suspended sediment levels in the water column) are recommended as priority "A" parameters. Ambient dissolved oxygen (DO) levels may be altered by the introduction of oxygen demanding substances to the point where aquatic life may be adversely affected. In addition, water uses for industrial purposes and irrigation of croplands may be impaired by waters with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels. Both DO and COD are recommended as priority "A" parameters. Since Colorado River system waters are well-buffered, few changes are expected in ambient pH levels as a result of developmental activities. However, since the possibility of disturbance to the equilibrium of the bicarbonate/carbon dioxide/carbonate system exists, for example as a result of acid rain-out, all alkalinity-related parameters are recommended as priority "B" parameters. One of the most crucial parameters for interpreting water quality data is volume of flow or discharge (priority "A"). Since many perturbations in water quality are flow rated, flow measurements and discharge computations must be an integral component of surface water quality monitoring design. Biological parameters recommended for monitoring are categorized by priority "A" or "B". Priority "A" biological parameters are recommended for routine monitoring in any basic water quality monitoring program designed to assess the environmental impact of oil shale and associated development on aquatic ecosystems. Priority "B" biological parameters are not recommended for monitoring unless a specific problem is encountered or suspected in a particular enviroment. Examples of priority "A" biological parameters include counts and identification, biomass determinations and community composition and diversity measurements of macrobenthic and periphyton communities. 8 ''Counts and identification of phytoplankton, determination of growth rates of fish, and species identification of macrophytes are examples of additional measurements recommended if specific problems are encountered (priority "B" parameters). The prioritized list of parameters recommended for monitoring must be viewed as tentative and subject to revision as additional information becomes available. No attempt was made to address the many trace organic constituents which have recently been identified as potential pollutants with carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic effects on the biota and man. Additional research is needed to further identify these various organic compounds, their potential for release to the environment and effects of exposure to receptors including man. ''3. WATER REQUIREMENTS AND AVAILABILITY USE REQUIREMENTS Assuming extraction of shale oil proves to be economically advantageous and environmentally acceptable on a prototype scale, the single factor which will eventually limit the size of the industry will undoubtedly be water availability. Although dewatering of mines and certain processing operations produce water, the quantity required for the total operation of a mature industry exceeds that produced. Nearly all phases of the industry consume water (Table 1). The greatest consumptive use requirements are for disposal of processed shale and oil upgrading (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-37). Associated urban growth and ancillary industrial development will also consume substantial quantities of water. Projected water demand estimates for processing requirements and urban development vary considerably depending on the rate of shale oil production and the mining techniques utilized (Table 2). The most likely water use requirements for a 1-million-barrel-per-day industry range between 121,000 and 189,000 acre-ft (1.49 x 108 to 2.33 x 108m3) per year. The projected water needs for mining, crushing, retorting and upgrading are fairly well defined, but the actual requirements for spent shale disposal and revegetation have not been firmly established for large-scale operations and could deviate substantially from current estimates. Water quality requirements vary with intended uses. High quality water which is low in total dissolved solids (TDS) is necessary for retorting, upgrading, power generation, revegetation, sanitary use, and associated urban development. Mining and crushing operations and disposal of spent shale can be accomplished with low quality water such as that produced by oil upgrading and retorting. SUPPLY Surface Water Colorado's Piceance Creek Basin, the area of the richest oil shale deposits, is drained to the north by Sheep, Piceance, Yellow, Spring, and Douglas Creeks, all of which flow into the White River. Parachute and Roan Creeks drain the southern part of the oil shale area into the Colorado River (Figures 1 and 2). Streamflow in the Basin is highly variable with most streams sustaining substantial flow only during periods of snowmelt or after 10 ''000 ‘S6Z-000 ‘Sz 000°79 -000°ZE 000‘ 1T€Z-000‘€ZZ 000‘ 6T 000°2 000‘ ZT 000‘ Z1Z-000‘ 70Z — 000*T 000‘8T 000‘S7 -000‘ZE 000‘ 48 000‘ #4 000‘ZT 000‘8 000‘ 681-000‘ TZT 000‘ 681-000‘ TZT 000° 6T -000°7T 000° -000°T 000‘*ZT -000‘ET 000‘ OZT-000 ‘LOT 000°T -000°T 000‘ZI -0O 000‘EZ -000‘ST 000‘0Z -000‘2¥ 000‘74% -000‘'6z 000‘°ZI -000‘'6 000‘8 -000‘9 “(77-1II *d ‘I "TOA ‘€/61) IdSN Worx paTsTpoW :a0A1N0¢g 000 £Z78-000‘9Z 000 ‘28-000 ‘92 000*TT-000°6 0 000 *TT-000 ‘6 000‘ TZ-000'29 000‘T 0 000 ‘OT 000 ‘ 7Z 000‘ 17-000 ‘ZT 000 ‘6 000 ‘9 STVLOL GNvadd 93 TUOSMep /azTTOOYeN :JueudoTeasqg APT [Touy STVLOL sTeqoqqns ZJamod oTIseu0g asn ITISeUO0Gg :ueqIn pezerToossy sTeqo3qns asn AzeqTues UOTIeIIBZd9AIy 19Mo0g Tesodstp eTeus pesseo01g sutpei3dn [To eTeys 3UT}I10704 suTYysNids pue ButurTy :3uTss900I1g a8uey todd ATOYTT ISOM aZuey TO3MOT (14/3 J-e19e) uot zdunsuo) J3ezeM JO esuey sjusueitnbey AULSNGNI ‘TIO HIVHS AVG-aAd-TAMAVA-NOITIIN-I V WOd SLSVOTAOA NOILdWNSNOD YALVM LNADSNILINOO “T FTavi 11 ''“(VE€-III *d ‘I “TOA *€/61) IdSN Wors peTtsJTpoM :a0A1n0¢g 000‘SST 000‘S9 004 ‘4 008 ‘9T 00L‘8 SAN TVA NVAW 000‘ 681-000 ‘IZI 000 *64-002 0S 00/‘°S-000‘E OOT ‘07-004 SET 009 £0T-008 9 STVLOL GNVY9 000‘°61 -000‘¥T 00s‘*‘Z -006‘¢ 076-062 089‘T -0SZ ST 000‘T -O4Z sTejoqqns 000°Z -000‘T 009 -00¢ 08 —-OL OST -OTI 06 -0L Zemod oT sou0g 000‘Z1T -O000‘ET 006‘9 -007‘¢ 078 -O0ZZ O€S ‘IT -OVI ST O16 -0OL9 asn dTISeuUO0g :uegqig peJeLToossy N et 000 ‘O0ZT-000 ‘ LOT 00S ‘12-008 £77 08Z‘7-O01Z*Z Oz7‘8I-OST ‘ZT 009‘6 -090‘9 sTeqojqns 000‘T -000‘T OO€ -00Z Ov -0Z2 OL -O€ 0S -02 asn Areqtues 000‘ZT -0 006‘47 -0O 00L -0 ooL -0 ooL -0 UOT eIaZaAIy 000‘€Z -000‘ST 00z‘*6 -008‘S 078 ‘T-O€Z 070‘°Z -094 ‘T 0z0‘T -O€Z 1aM0d 00004 -000‘L¥ 006 ‘0€-00% £0Z —_ 0SZ°8 -078‘S 0074 -006‘Z Tesodstp eTeys pessa0ig 000‘ -000‘6Z 00S‘ ZT-O0Z ‘TI 07z‘7-09"‘T O8Ee‘y -076 ‘Z 061 ‘*Z -094‘T Sutpea3dn [To aTeys 000‘Z1T -000‘6 OOT‘S -O0OT ‘¥ vee 097°T -OLT‘T O€ZL -O8S 3UT}1070y 000‘8 -000‘9 009‘€ -009‘Z vee 0Z0‘T -O€Z OIS -OLE sutTysnio pue 3uTUTW :3uTsses001g SuTUTW Sjueuertnbsy XTW ASoTouyoey, XT AZoTouysey, nITS Ul sUTW_ soezAns eUuTW punorz8isepugn /000 ‘000 ‘T /000 ‘004 /000‘0¢ /000 ‘00T /000‘0S uot onNporig JO poyjeW/(Aep toed sjTez1eq) uoTIONporg TIO eTeus (24/3J-982108) NOILONGOYd TIO ATVHS JO SGOHLEW GNV SALVY SNOTUVA Yor asa UaALVM JO SHONVY ‘72 YIEVL ''heavy rains (Table 3). Piceance Creek, which has the largest drainage area of any tributary in the Basin, has a mean annual discharge of only 17 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) (0.48 noye3 at the White River confluence. The White River also exhibits wide seasonal and annual variability in flow as indicated by discharge records at Ignatio Station near the U-a/U-b tracts (Figures 3 and 4). As these data indicate, the streamflow of the river is far too irregular to be used as a reliable water source for industrial use in the natural flow state. Water could be available for purchase from proposed public and private projects on the White and Yampa Rivers (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-133). Proposed dams (Yellow Jacket and Rio Blanco or Sweetbriar projects) could yield as much as 165,000 acre-ft (2.04 x 1083) when, and if, completed (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-133). Water from the Colorado River and its tributaries is available through the U.S. Bureau of Land Management at a cost of 10 to 40 dollars per acre-ft (1,233.5 m3) (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-133). The purchaser would have to assume the substantial costs of transporting the water from the main channel or releasing reservoir to the point of use. Impoundments where water is currently available are Ruedi and Green Mountain Reservoirs. In theory Bureau of Land Management could make up to 200,000 acre-ft (2.47 x 108m3) of water available for use in the Piceance area from existing and proposed projects including the purchase of existing senior water rights (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-133). the Possible sources of surface waters for an oil shale industry in Utah's Uinta Basin include the Green, White, and Yampa Rivers (Figure 1). The Green River with a mean flow of 4,307 f£t3/s (121.9 m3/s) is the min flowing body of water in the area, traversing the richest oil shale deposits in a northeast to southwest direction. The White River, with a mean flow of 703 ft3/s (19.9 m3/s), flows into the Green from the east within the bounds of the Uinta-Ouray Indian Reservation. The Yampa, also a westward flowing stream, has its confluence with the Green within the boundaries of the Dinosaur National Monument north of the major oil shale deposits. Approximately 107,000 acre-ft (1.32 x 108m3) of water annually are potentially available from the Green, White, and Yampa Rivers for development of oil shale in the Uinta Basin (USDI 1973, vols I, p.. II-26). Utilization of water from the White and Yampa would require construction of dams and reservoirs. A proposal to dam the White River in the vicinity of the U-a/U-b tracts is currently being considered. The Green River is already impounded at Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Under existing agreements with Mexico, the States involved, and private interests, the surface water potentially available for oil shale development has been calculated at 341,000 acre-ft (4.21 x 108m3). The distribution of the water is as follows (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-27): 13 ''“(TL6T) ‘Te 38 SUTFJOD WorZ peTJTpoW :a0d1n0g 0 090T LE°T 8SZ 99/6-79/0T JPATY OITYM AP8U YeeID MOTTAEZ 6°0 oss O°LT 679 99/6-79/0T APATY OITYM JE YoeIQ souesdTg 8°0 004 S*tr G8 L9/6-79/0T yoTND uehy MOTeq yeeIaQ soURDDTg T°0 O€4 €°0z €ST €7/6-07/0T ooueTg OTY Ieeu yeeIDQ soUPsDTYg T°0 €Z O7°T 6 LS/6-ZS/0T oourTg OTY 3B YeeIN souRPsTTYG £9/6-29/0T Z°€ O7@ZT 0°04 TZE 97/6-172/¥% enbegeg 1eeu yeeIg ueoy O°T 008 8°yT TST L9/6-79/0T Ye2IQ JeeTD eAoge yee1p ueoy L€/6-LE/E 9€/0T-9€/¥ 0 ZvT -- 6L G€/6-SE/9 youey suowwtTs je yee1p ueOYy 7¢/6-87/0T 0 716 €°O€ 00Z L7/6-12/¥% ASTTeA puery 3e YooIN aqnyoeieg £9/6-79/0T 0 SEL £*tt YT 7¢/6-87/0T AeTTeA pueig ieeu yee1g eynyoeireg 0 LYyT Le*y Sy 79/6-LS/0T AeTTeA puesy Aeeou YeeiIp vsynyoereg YAOY ISomM A[TtTep wnururty wNnUTxXey (s/_33) (_ fw) (14/ ow) (s/_33) asieyostp Gaze piode91 Jo potieg uoT}e4s MoTJWeeI3S asaeyostp jo sowe1qxy e3elsAy aZeurteig Vaadv ATVHS TIO OGVYOIOD AHL ONINIVUC SWVAULS AO SCYODAY MOTAWVAULS JO AUVWWNS “€ FIAVL 14 ''wut abueyosiq S/o UL 02 UE Ov 0S 09 OZ 08 06 OOL OLL Oc O€L (€Z6L) SNSN +89unos "O/6| AeA u9zZeM UL UOS}EM UP|U UOL}EIS OLQeUB] 7e USALY PLUM AYZ JO SUuazZZeEd yyounu [eUuOSeas “¢ sunbL4 ydag_ Ss sBnysSOALne oaunp— Kew [Ludy youewW ge4y ure 99g ~=6fAON-Ss«d2:0 i f 1 (NOILVLS OILVN9I) NOSLVM YVAN YSATY SLIHM 000L 0002 O00€ 000¥ 000S S/.43 UL abueyosiq 15 ''*uoszeM UeaU gl X dA} oil 00€ 00t 00S 009 O0Z 008 006 O00L OOLL 00cL OOEL o0vL OOSL 0091 OOZLL 0081 "(€Z6L *4~S6L) S9SN "OL-vZ6L Ssueak Syeih UOLIeIS OLReUBT 22 YBALY 97LYM B42 Jo abueYydsip Jo APLLLGeLUeA OZ6L O96L — wo o1 oO | Jeay Ovél O€6l :9DUNOS *p aunBbL4 008 006 O00L OnLL 0021 OOEL O0rL pl X UA/44-BUde 16 '' State acre-ft m> Colorado 167,000 2.06 x 108 Utah 107,000 1.32 x 108 Wyoming 67,000 8.26 x 107 Totals 341,000 4.21 x 108 Subsurface Water In general, ground water supplies in the oil shale areas of Utah are meager. The best possibilities for significant quantities of ground water lie in the Piceance Creek Basin. The Uinta Basin in Utah is a good example of an oil shale area in which the ground water in storage is thought to be of little or no use to large- scale industrial development (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-230). The Green River Formation is the principal aquifer and yields as much as 29.5 ft (0.834 m3) per minute to wells; however, yields that large cannot be expected throughout the Formation (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-56). The Uinta Formation overlying the Green River Formation yields as much as 30 £t3 (0.85 m3) per minute from springs (USDI 1973, vol, I, p. II-56). Although the potential yield from wells could be as large, the overall volume of water in storage would be considerably less than that in the Piceance Creek Basin (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. II-230). More detailed information concerning ground water availability and quality in the Uinta Basin can be found in the U-a/U-b final environmental baseline report for the White River shale project, Voorheis-Trindle-Nelson of Colorado 1977 (environmental baseline data collection contractor). USDI (1973, vol. I, pp. II-48 through II-55) identified three sources of ground water in the Piceance Creek Basin: (1) alluvium, (2) upper aquifer, and (3) lower aquifer or “lower leached-zone" (Figure 5). The water in the overlying alluvium, due to the limited volume, is of little significance for industrial purposes. The upper aquifer comprises the lower portion of the Uinta Formation [formerly known as the Evacuation Creek Member of the Green River Formation, nomenclature revised by Cashion and Donnell (1974)] and the part of the Parachute Creek Member which lies above the Mahogany zone. The upper aquifer is a relatively good aquifer where water has a TDS content generally less than 1,000 mg/liter. The upper aquifer and the lower aquifer are separated by the Mahogany zone. The Mahogany zone is less permeable than either aquifer and generally acts as a barrier between them. However, water is occasionally transmitted through the Mahogany zone by fractures which permit communication. 17 ''Suaqaw 000 !+ 00S! 0002 oosz= ouoz Ayansisas ybIH "(896L) “LB 38 ‘ULJJO WOJ PALJLPOW :aduNOS "OpeuolO) ‘uLseg Yau) BdUe|DLY AY} SSOUDe UOLZDaS DL QRPUMIeUBRIG “Ss aunBLY UISDG JO y4Dd ysamMoj AjjDINjonsjs Ul $]0JauIW auljDS puD ‘uabosay = UaBoosay ou 40 af441) puD auojsyis ‘40 @4Dsawoj6u09 4o PUD ajDYs SUIDJUOD ‘auUOjs|sDW —«-@]DYS_SUIDJUOD !aUO}s|JD~y “pup auojspups ‘pup jaan26 pup pups NOILYNY1dx3 3A37 V3S NV3W 34Y VL¥O SSI i= Tr 3 S3TIW9 » 2 0 2 oour—- 02 X NOILVY399VX3 WIILYIA ati J UOlDW404 YOIDSDM 1 -,000b (77 42qwaN 49849 anyoDIDd TayyObe sano] L coos of s 3 2 S 0009 NANI 3 0002-4 bs 0008 - L, 180M 18 ''The lower aquifer, the area below the Mahogany zone, consists of the remaining portion of the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation and is the most extensive and permeable aquifer in the Basin. The TDS concentrations increase with depth from the edges toward the center of the Basin with concentrations ranging from 2,000 to 63,000 mg/liter (Coffin, et al. 1968). Extensive work attempting to define the ground water quality and quantity in the Piceance Creek Basin has been done by the lessees of the C-a and C-b Federally leased tracts. This information can be found in: 1) The final environmental baseline report for tract C-a and vicinity. May, 1977, prepared by Rio Blanco Oil Shale Project, 2 volumes. 2) Oil shale tract C-b final environmental baseline program final report, November 1974 - October 1976, prepared by C-b Shale Oil Venture, 5 volumes. By-Product Water Mining of oil shale from the Mahogany zone of the Piceance Creek Basin must be preceded or accompanied by the dewatering of the enclosing aquifers. It is not known what the initial pumping rates will be. Based on hydrological data, the present best estimate is a maximum of 30 £t3/s (0.849 m3/s) for surface development and 40 ft3/s (1.13 m3/s) for underground development or_an overall requirement of 22,000 to 29,000 acre-ft (2.71 x 107 to 3.5 x 10/m3) per year (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-53). The estimated amount of water required and the quality and quantity of water produced by underground and surface mines over a 30-year period were summarized in USDI (1973) (Table 4). Of the overall waters to be removed from the subsurface, 30 per- cent are estimated to be fresh and 70 percent saline to briny (USDI 1973, vol. I, pe ILI-57). The oil shale retorting process itself is a producer of water, yielding from 7 to 28 liters per metric ton (2 to 10 gallons per ton) of shale pro- cessed. The amount of water produced in this manner by a 1-million-barrel-per- day industry based on an average yield of 25 gal.,ons of oil perk fon of shale would range from 10.3 to 51.5 acre-ft (12.7 x 10° to 63.5 x 10°'m). When this amount is compared to the overall needs of a mature industry, the water produced is insignificant. 19 ''*zeo0k yg0€ 243 UT 8/33 BI 02 SututT[oep 8/33 O€ JO 93e21 3uTdwnd wnuTxeu e sounssy *(O9-III *d IT ‘TOA *€/6T) IdSnN WorAZ peTJIpoW :e0A1no0¢g P *ae0k O€ 24 UT B/ 33 QT 07 BuTUTTOep a AD Oy jo oje2 Butdwnd wnutxeu e somnssy . qi *SouTW 94} WOIZ IO BuTsssd0id WOLF STqGeTTeAe oq 1TeqeM OU PTNOYS sjuUoWeATNber TIIeM VOVJANS pajASATP wWnuTxeu oy} JUeSeider pr[Nom stu] qd *yjy-210e Jo spuesnoyj UL, €OT-9S EV e-cer 87S GYS-E9E 6€-07 S8€-O0€ 89S L87-€8T STVLOL GY =tE em ww SY -VE L£E-0¢ wie) a /Z@ -0Z@ te 7em AQTTenb y3tH :ueqin po .eLToOSsy 8S -27~ T70-ZET 89S 00S-6ZE cl-0 S8E-00€ 87S O097-£9T sTez03qns eee G6[-ZLOL €Le 997-8LT ims S872-092 ELE CEL=88 Jaqem AqtTenb Moy 8S -77 9%-S7 GLT YET-IGT zr-0 0OT-09 SLT L7I-GL teqem AqTTenb ystH :8uTSso00I1g 19}eM 197eM peonporg sjusu z37eM 3J97eM peonporg sjusu pe szeatq ssooxy P 497eM -$arnbay pe .AsATGq ssooxy # z397eM ~$itnboy t37eM i37eM eUuTW e0ezInNS/000‘SOOT eUTW punoz319puyg/000‘50S sjuewertTnbey D auTW jo eddky/(Aep aed spTeazieq) uotjoOnporig [TO PTeUS NOILONdGOUd TIO HIVHS 40 GOIWAd UVAA-O€ CALOALOYd V YOA SANIW ATIONIS OML Ad CAONGONd GNV CAYINOAM UALVM “7 AIAVL 20 ''4, POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE OIL SHALE INDUSTRY SALINITY Sources Increasing salinity is the major water quality problem throughout much of the Colorado River Basin. Salinity levels have been steadily increasing throughout the lower Basin as a result of two basic processes: salt loading (i.e., increasing the total mineral burden by adding salts to the river) and salt concentrating (i.e., the selective removal of high quality water thereby concentrating the total salt burden in a smaller volume). Salt loading results from both natural conditions and man-induced causes; salt concentrating results when water is lost through consumptive uses, transpiration, or evaporation. Although adequate information is lacking to accurately identify all contributing sources of salinity to the Colorado River, studies conducted over the past 20 years have identified the major sources of increasing salinity from the headwaters to the Gulf of California (USEPA 1971). The relative effects of salt loading and salt concentrating factors on the salinity of the river at Hoover Dam for the period 1942-61 were estimated by USEPA (1971) (Table 5). Nearly two-thirds of the average annual salt load and one-half of the concentration at Hoover Dam during this period were attributed to natural causes (USEPA 1971). Of the portion attributable to natural sources, about 82 percent was from diffuse (nonpoint) sources and about 18 percent from point sources (USEPA 1971). Irrigation agriculture, which increases salinity both through salt loading and salt concentrating, was estimated to contribute 33 percent of the total annual salt load and 37 percent of the salinity concentration at Hoover Dam during this period (Table 5). Although industrial and municipal discharges accounted for only about one percent of the salt load and salinity concentration at Hoover Dam during this period (Table 5), a mature oil shale industry and related industrial and urban development could, over the long term, increase the salinity at Hoover Dam through both salt concentrating and salt loading processes. Salt concentrating effects would occur as relatively high quality surface waters are withdrawn for consumptive uses and as a result of evaporation from storage reservoirs. Assuming substantial amounts of ground water and process water are available for use as discussed previously (USDI 1973, vol I, p. III-75), it is not anticipated that salt concentrating effects will add to the salinity detriment of the Colorado River until many years after development is instituted. Salt loading could occur as a result of landscape disturbances resulting from construction activities and from the actual mining operation. 21 ''“(1L61) VddSN Worz PoTJTpOW 2901N0g ‘potied [9-Z7¥6I 2942 AeAO UMOPpMEeIp jou 9Yy7 UOdN peseq BuTOUeTeq AOJ senTeA Tenuue peanduo, OOoT £69 0°*O0T €Z°OT STeIOL “oO . “oO. L*€ ~ 6£°0 A®AOOH WOIZ VssPeTer a8e10I9S ZI 08 0°0 00°0 sezAydojzessyd pue uotjerzodeayg € 072 2°O>= 70°0O- utTseg ey} JO Jno sjiodxg I OT HT (ST ‘*0) TeTaysnpuy pue Tedpotuny (IT) (sz ) ( 0) ( 0) SupTJeAqUsoUOD ATS (97) (SLT) (O°€€) (7S °€) SuTpeoT Tes LE €SZ 0°€€ HSE aAN}Z[NITAZe poz esTssy 8 6S 6‘°TI 8Z°T saoinos jutod TeinjzeyN 6€ GLe 7°OS T7°S sooinos oSnyFTp TeAnjeN voanos yoRreg (1293 TT/3u) peoy 3Tes (suoj jo 1oj0eg 03 eTqeqraosy aoanosg yoreg jo JusD1eg SUOTTT TW) uoTIe1}UsDU0D 03 eTqeqtaosy peoy 31Tes AQTUTTeS uoT}erqUs0U0D al qused198g ATUTTes (SNOILIGNOD 0961 OL GaLSNray GdOOTN AO AGOIUAd 19-7761) WVd UFAOOH LV SHONVHO ALINITVS 4O SdSNVO “°S ATdVL 22 ''Additional loading could result from leaching of spent shale disposal piles or by-products storage piles; release of saline mine waters; ground water disturbances caused by reinjection of excess waters; and municipal and industrial waste discharges. Construction of roadways and utility corridors, removal of overburden, and the actual mining operations would enhance weathering and erosion of exposed materials thereby increasing the potential for mineral release to surface waters directly and via subsurface waters. Leachates from spent shale are a potential source of salt loading to surface water owing to the proposed disposal methods and the physical and chemical characteristics of spent shale (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. ILII-77). Disposal of spent shale will be accomplished by creating disposal sites and possibly by backfilling mined-out areas. Even if backfilling is practiced, some above ground shale disposal will be necessary since the volume of compacted spent shale is greater than its inplace volume due to void spaces in the mass of crushed and retorted materials (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. I-22). The mineral composition of spent shale varies somewhat depending on the retorting process used due to differences in peak temperatures reached in the various retorts. The Union Oil Company (UOC) retort reaches a peak temperature of approximately 540° C causing almost complete decomposition of carbonates and other temperature-sensitive materials (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. I-24). The Oil Shale Company (TOSCO) retort, which operates at a temperature of 482° C, causes very little mineral decomposition (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. I-24). Regardless of the process used, spent shale materials are represented primarily as oxides of the various minerals present in raw shales (Tables 6 and 7), many of which are highly water soluble (USDI 1973, vol. I, pp. I-24,25). Ward et al. (1971) investigated the water pollution potential of spent shale residues from various retorts. Analyses of water after intimate contact with spent shale from the TOSCO and UOC retorts revealed high concentrations of sodium, calcium, and magnesium in the form of sulfates. Leaching tests demonstrated that soluble salts are readily leached from spent shale columns, consequently a definite potential exists for high concentrations of the major ions (Nat, Ca2t Mg2+ and S027) in the runoff from spent oil shale residues (Ward, et al. 1971). The mechanical instability of processed shale and the susceptibility of shale piles to leaching of salts pose serious potential hazards to the water quality of streams in the area. Although there has been no actual experience with disposal of spent shale on a large scale, some potential problems can be anticipated. The possibility of disposal-pile failure, i.e., the “falling in" of the face of the pile with a subsequent increase in erosion and salt loading to local streams and the expected impact on water quality, has been assessed in a hypothetical situation (USDI 1973, vol. I, pp. III-81-89). In this example, it was estimated that leaching of a 283.3-hectare spent shale pile during an intensive 6-hour rainstorm of 1.27 centimeters per hour would increase the total salt load of the receiving stream (Piceance Creek) by 2,177 to 4,989 metric tons. Weathering and leaching of spent shale piles will occur over long periods of time, but the rate of release of minerals to surface waters cannot be 23 ''“(OT-1 ‘d ‘I ‘Toa ‘€/6T) Iasn 4q peTtduos “(OL6T) SeuTW JO Neeing “$n WoL PeTJTpoW :edA1n0g 0°O0T TVLOL 0° OOT TPRIOL aqTIAg aqTorTeuy T @ITITE ATtedtoutad ‘skeTo I zz1eNhy Z siedsploy 7 eqjtwotop ATTedtoutad ‘sajeuoqie) c°98 YALLYN TVWYANIN 0°OOT Teo] 8°¢ (0) ueshxo O°T (s) any[ns 0°Z (N) Ue3023IN €°OL (H) ue80i1pAyq S°08 (9) uoqieg 8°€T YALLVYN DINVOYO qyu3Tem Aq Juedteg *(G¢z-1I °d ‘I "TOA *€/6T) Iasn 4q petrdwos se ‘(996T) “Te Jo *YOrzZIeEW WoAF petjJIpoW :e01nos HVLIN GNV OdVHOTOO 40 ANOZ ANVOOHVN AHL WOU NOL Wid TIO dO SNOTTIVS SZ SNIOVYAAV SNOILOAS ATVHS T10 MV AO NOILISOdWOD TVOIdAL */ AIAVL O°OOT © TeqOL er! (o°x) @prxo wntssej,og E°€ (0°eN) @prTxXo wNTpos 8°T (£08) @prxoTi anjgtns 6°6 (O03) ePprxo wntTssusey Le? (08)) eprxo wnToTeD O°eT (f0%ty) eprxo wnutunty G°4 (€0%aq) eptTxo uoirt €°%y ({0FS) ePTXOTP POTTS (use Jo quaored) jy8tem queuoduo) @prIxo se posseid -x9 uoTjTSodwuo) HSV HTVHS LNAdS dO NOILISOdWNOD TVUHNIN °9 HTIEVL 24 ''predicted (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-89). Even though attempts will be made to stabilize the piles with natural soil and vegetative cover, erosion and leaching of dissolved solids will undoubtedly occur, particularly during the periods of active disposal and shale pile buildup. Raw wastewater produced by retorting oil shale contains a variety of constituents, thus presenting a wastewater disposal or treatment problem. If the untreated water is used to moisten shale piles as has been proposed, the mineral components may be physically or chemically trapped within the shale pile temporarily, but the potential for leachates eventually moving through the pile would seemingly be increased. A possible alternative is to treat the wastewater for subsequent use within the plant, thus partially offsetting the requirements for water from outside sources. In the Piceance Basin, disposal of excess mine waters poses a potential problem which may be intensified as the oil shale industry matures. During the early stages of operation, excess water is expected to be of high quality and may be released directly to local streams, but through time the excess water will increase in salinity, and discharge to local streams may not be permitted (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-61). It may be necessary during initial development to store excess or poor quality ground water in impoundments and during later stages of development to reinject the excess water in aquifers (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-62). Both methods of disposal could potentially result in release of saline waters into streams; the first through failure of a dike impounding saline waters; and the second through upward movement of poor quality ground water and eventual discharge to surface waterways (USDI 1973, vol. I, pp. III-77-94). Ranges of dissolved constituents in ground waters in the lower Uinta Formation and Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation differ considerably (Figure 6, Table 8). In general, water quality decreases with depth, with the poorest quality water occurring in the deeper portions of the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. Municipal and industrial developments could cause additional salinity problems. As the population of the area expands, increased amounts of salts may enter surface waters via municipal and industrial discharges thereby increasing the total mineral burden in localized areas. Since the nature and extent of urban and associated industrial growth cannot be predicted with certainty, the extent to which such growth will compound the salinity problem is unknown. Ambient Levels As a means of characterizing ambient water quality in those surface waters potentially subject to impact as a result of oil shale development, historical data for salinity related parameters were compiled, summarized, and tabulated for selected U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) water quality monitoring stations on the White, Green and Colorado Rivers (Figure 7). Ranges and mean values for specific ions, total dissolved residues and specific conductance summarized for water years 1964-65 and 1968-69 (USGS 1970, 1974) characterize 25 '' Silica BBE cea Calcium Sodium and Potassium Bicarbonate and Carbonate Sulfate : Chloride | Dissolved Solids 0.1 1.0 10 190 1000 10,000 Concentration in mg/liter 100,909 The Lower Uinta Formation The Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation Figure 6. Range of water quality in the lower Uinta Formation (formerly the Evacuation Creek Member of the Green River Formation) and in the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation. Source: USDI (1973). ''TABLE 8. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN Alluvium, 0-140 feet thick; Holocene and Pleistocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- Sand, gravel and clay partly fill major valleys as much as 140 feet; generally less than one-half- mile wide. Beds of clay may be as thick as 70 feet; generally thickest near the center of valleys. Sand and gravel contain stringers of clay near mouths of small tributaries to major streams. Near the headwaters of the major streams, dissolved- solids concentrations range from 250 to 700 mg/liter. Dominant ions in the water are generally calciun, magnesium, and bicarbonate. In most of the area, dissolved solids range from 700 to as much as 25,000 mg/liter. Above 3,000 mg/liter the dominant ions are sodium and bicarbonate. Water is under artesian pressure where sand and gravel are overlain by beds (of clay. Reported yields as much as 1,500 gpm. Well yields will decrease with time because valleys are narrow and the valley walls act as relatively impermeable boundaries., Transmissivity ranges from 20,000 to 150,000 gpd per ft. The storage coefficient averages 0.20. Uinta Formation, 0-1,250 feet thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Intertonguing and gradational beds of sandstone, siltstone and marlstone: contains pyroclastic rocks and few conglomerate lenses. Forms surface rock over most of the area; thins appreciably westward. Water ranges from 250 to 1,800 mg/liter dissolved- solids. a . Gallons per minute. Gat ions per day. (Continued) 27 ''TABLE 8. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Unita Formation, 0-1,250 feet thick; Eocene in age: (Continued) Hydrologic Character -- Green River Formation: Parachute Creek Member, Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character Beds of sandstone are predominantly fine grained and have low permeability. Water moves primarily through fractures. The part of the Formation higher than valley floors is mostly drained. Reported to yield as much as 100 gpm where tested in the north-central part of the basin. Formation has not been thoroughly tested, and larger yields may be possible. 500-1,800 feet thick; Eocene in age: Kerogenaceous dolomitic marlstone (oil shale) and shale; contains thin pyroclastic beds, fractured to depths of at least 1,800 feet. Abundant saline minerals in deeper part of the basin. The member can be divided into three zones which can be corre- lated throughout the basin by use of geophysical logs: (1) high resistivity, (2) low resistivity or leached, and (3) Mahogany (oldest to youngest). Water ranges in dissolved-solids content from 250 to about 63,000 mg/liter. Below 500 mg/liter, calcium is the dominant cation: Above 500 mg/liter, sodium is generally dominant. Bicarbonate is _ generally the dominant anion regardless of concen- tration. Flouride ranges from 0.0 to 54 mg/liter. High resistivity zone and Mahogany zone are relatively impermeable. The leached zone (middle unit) contains water in solution openings and is under sufficient artesian pressure to cause flowing wells. Trans- missivity ranges from less than 3,000 gpd per ft. in the margins of the basin to 20,000 gpd per ft. in the center of the basin. Estimated yields as much as 1,000 gpm. Total water in storage in leached zone 2.5 million acre-ft, or more. (Continued) 28 ''TABLE 8. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Green River Formation: (Continued) Garden Gulch Member, 0-900 feet thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- Papery and flaky marlstone and shale; contains some beds of oil shale and, locally, thin beds of sand- stone. One water analysis indicates dissolved-solids concentration of 12,000 mg/liter. Relatively impermeable and probably contains few fractures. Prevents downward movement of water. In the Parachute and Roan Creeks drainages, springs are found along contact with overlying rocks. Not known to yield water to wells. Douglas Creek Member, 0-800 feet thick: Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- Sandstone, shale and limestone; contains oolites and ostracods. The few analytical results indicate that dissolved- solids content ranges from 3,000 to 12,000 mg/liter. Dominant ions are sodium and bicarbonate, or sodium and chloride. Relatively low permeability and probably little fractured. Maximum yield is unknown, but probably less than 50 gpm. Anvil Points Member, 0-1,870 feet thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Shale, sandstone, and marlstone grade within a short distance westward into the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, and lower part of the Parachute Creek Member. Beds of sandstone are fine grained. The principal ions in the water are generally magnesium and sulfate. The dissolved-solids content ranges from about 1,200 to 1,800 mg/liter. (Continued) 29 ''TABLE 8. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Green River Formation: (Continued) Hydrologic Character -- Sandstone beds have low permeability. A few wells tapping sandstone beds yield less than 10 gpm. Springs issuing from fractures yield as much as 100 gpm. Wasatch Formation, 300-5,000 feet thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Clay, shale, lenticular sandstone; locally beds of conglomerate and limestone. Beds of clay and shale are the main constituents of the Formation. Contains gypsum. Water Quality -- Gypsum contributes sulfate to both surface water and ground water supplies. Hydrologic Character -- Beds of clay and shale are relatively impermeable. Beds of sandstone are slightly permeable. The Formation is not known to yield water to wells. Source: Modified from Coffin et al. (1971). those waters as to the TDS levels and identify the primary constituents contributing to the salt load at various sites (Tables 9 and 10). Although TDS and specific conductance levels fluctuated widely at each site, a general trend of increasing mineral levels in a downstream progression is clearly evident. Inspection of the data for trends relative to individual constituents identifies calcium as the major cation in the upper basin with sodium the most abundant cation in the more saline downstream reaches. A similar pattern emerges relative to bicarbonates and sulfates. Mean bicarbonate concentrations remained relatively stable throughout the basin, but decreased downstream in relative contributions to total dissolved solids concentrations. Sulfates on the other hand increased both in mean absolute and relative abundance in a downstream progression, replacing bicarbonates as the dominant anion in the lower Colorado River. Chloride concentrations increased downstream also, as might be expected. Silica concentrations remained relatively constant throughout the basin. Carbonates in carbonate (CO2-) form were not present in significant quantities in the surface waters. Carbonates in these waters are present primarily as bicarbonates (Hcol-), 30 '' *AZLLeNb wazemM YUaLque suLWuazap 0} pasn suolzeys BHurtdwes Aavuns LeOLBoLoay *S*f JO SUOLzRDOL pue uLSeg USALY OpeuolLo) ayz 40 sabeureup [edtoutud ay} yo dey *Z aunbL4 ‘ad OdVHO109 WVO YINeWd L.M0139 . NOANVI WV H3A00H aNVuD M0139 | .} sw9aa\ ‘AWHa4 sv1 an See i $3317 "| | | ' ' | | | Y3AIH NIIN9 oavuo109 ; O98) wvin | SONIHdShe% -y FLIHMN | VaVA2 000MN319 ALIS . ‘Hd VdINVA IWNHGA ayy Lvs: L-—--;—-—--—° —- “T Y3AIN NI3H9 7 9NINOAM/S mm 31. 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These data represent ranges and mean values reported during the period from late August 1974 to early May 1975. Inspection of these data reveals considerable variability between stations for some parameters even though the entire stream reach under investigation is only about 18 miles long. For example, maximum chloride values at site S-ll immediately downstream from the tract were nearly double the maximum values reported during this time period at any of the other sites. Maximum sodium values were 50 percent greater at the same station than maximum values reported at any of the other sites. As would be expected, correspondingly higher values were also reported for TDS and conductivity at this site. Water quality data for Piceance Creek, which were compiled at three sites during the period from December 1970 to September 1973, indicate Piceance Creek waters are much more highly mineralized than White River waters (Tables 12 and 13). Impact As water becomes highly mineralized, its utility for industrial and agricultural purposes, public water supply, and as a medium for freshwater organisms is impaired. Present salinity concentrations in the lower Colorado River have reached the level where some impairment for industrial, agricultural, and municipal uses is occurring (USEPA 1971). As levels increase over 500 mg/liter, treatment costs soar for industrial and municipal water users, and irrigated agricultural crops characteristically undergo reductions in yield (NAS 1973). Highly mineralized water causes scaling and corroding of water pipes, boilers, and heaters, adding to increased maintenance and treatment costs for industrial and household users. As salt concentrations in irrigation waters increase, soils become more saline, thereby restricting the variety of crops which can be grown successfully (NAS 1973). The effects of highly mineralized or saline water on aquatic life vary tremendously with the concentrations of specific ionic constituents. Although salinity in freshwater is defined as the total concentration of the ionic components (Reid 1961, Hutchinson 1957), the most conspicuous anionic substances which contribute to salinity in the Colorado River system are bicarbonates, sulfates, and chlorides. These substances combine with the metallic cations calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium to form ionizable salts. Silicamay be present in several forms including complex ions, as colloidal silica or as sestonic mineral particles, but most silfeates in inland waters are probably present as undisassociated silicic acid (Hutchinson 1957). The absolute and relative abundances of these materials are important factors regulating productivity of waters and influencing the structure of communities. Water hardness, a term closely related to salinity, is governed chiefly by the presence of calcium and magnesium cations in waters. In general, the 37 ''*q-N pue e-f sz9e43 ” [euapay ueau sazis BuLjdwes LeoLBoLOLg pue suolzeqzs AZLLeNb wazemM BdeJUNS = *8 aunBbL4 saaliwoiw ' — on v & c L 0 v 9-S J1VIS SALIS ONNdWVS IVIIOOIOIS VWd3 -N- S3ILIS ONIdWVS ALIIWNO Y3LVM Vda S3LIS ONITdWVS 1VIIOOTOIS NLA SNOILVIS ONIYOLINOW ALITVNO YALVM SOSN/NIA AI» 4339aD NOILVNSVAI YaAld ILIHM <0 0 8 38 ''*e2ep NIA/SOSN PeystTqndun pue ‘(¢/6T) 310de1 ATAaqaenb yay NIA :e0I1N0S *suOTIBAIESGO JO JeqUNN = N, 9T 9T 9T 9T ST oT 9T 9T 9T 9T 9T N 768 6LS 9T 8st 9S 0 877 08 9°Z 6z aL uBey czy 994 TT o9T v€ 0 €7Z 9S TT 97 19 munwyUuTW 0S9‘T 768 LT 022 0€Z S 082 O8T T°9 9€ €8 unUyxXey GL6T ‘€z THAdy -716T ysn3ny (IT-s) usem 3Teydsy LT LT LT LT LT LT zT LT LT LT ra N 878 9S¢ €T 98T SY 0 947 LL °Z 87 TZ uray Sty T6z TT €8 9T 0 €ST 09 TT €Z z9 unwyUuTy OOT‘T LTL LT 092 OzT € S67 O€T o°s 9€ z8 munwuyxXey GL6T ‘9 AEH -7/6T 3sN3ny (7-S) uofueg wey3nos 0z 0z 0z 0z 0z ST 0z 0z 0z 0z 0z N %€8 TSS €T get A) z‘0 T9Z gL €°2 62 ZZ ues 0€9 TLY OT OST zE 0 80Z 09 o'T 97 09 munayuTy 0z0‘T 919 LT 0Sz 6L € 88Z OzT 8°z 6€ OzT mn yx ey SL6T ‘¢ SEW -7/6T 3snsny (€-S) oF eUsT LT LT LT LT LT LT LT LT LT LT LT oN 678 €%S €1 SLT 24 LT 042 9 °Z LZ OL UroW 08% 687 TT O9T ZE 0 €6T Ls 6°0 €Z T9 unuryU Ty 76 929 LT OTzZ 89 zz 997 OTT O°Y zE €8 mn yx ey SL6T ‘9 AeW -716T ysn3ny (T-S) uofkueg eTOH 8,TTPEH aouezonpuoy sai (ors) (os) (19) (®00) (oon) (en) @ (30) (29) paoday Jo pozieg DFsJFOedS POTTTS sa 3ejy—ns sepfazaoTtyD so zeuoqie) soqeuogqieotg wn zpos unt sse joj unftsouzey wunzoTe9 pue uot AeBVO7 (°9 .¢Z 38 wo/soyun uz pesseidxe sft YOTYM aduUeIONpuod oFZyPOeds azoz jydeoxe JaqTT/3u uz pesseidxe vie pue soy dues peraatty jo sesXTeue uo pasey aie sanTeA TTV) USAIN ALIHM ‘4-N/-N SLOVYL AVAN VLVC ALITWVNO UALVM GALOATAS ‘TT a1aVL 39 ''“(VL6T) “Te 38 ayTY :90i1no0g *suotT2zeAeSqgQ Jo rzaequnyn = N q *squangyysuoD jo ung ,, "Zz "Zz 5z 97 5z "2 97 97 97 97 N O€z7*Z «BE CTY LST TS 699‘°T 9SL Ltt zg 84 ueeyW Ble T°9 0S IT 0 262 9L ove 8T 8T unwyTUTy 08z‘¢ 61 OLS 000‘T 68€ 069‘4 000‘z €°8 0OT ZL unuyxey POT wotzeIas *ZZ7Z90€60# SOSN 07 97 %Z 97 97 97 97 9Z 97 97 N O6T‘T Z°LT zy 0z T 869 8% S°€ 98 9L uray 074 6°6 OzT IT 0 08z OL S°z €Z ZY unayUuTW O€6‘T TZ OTL ze 97 080‘T Ov4 6°47 OzT 88 umuyx ey €OLT wotzeys “OTZ90€60# SOSN Sz SZ GZ Sz Sz cz SZ SZ cz Sz gi OOT‘T 8°9T C8E 8T 0 £99 LLT c°E €8 LL uedy Z6€ IT OTT OT 0 8Sz 99 9°Z TZ Ty unuyuTy OSs‘T TZ Oss cz 0 €£6 OTE 8°y OTT 68 munUyTxXER ZOT uotzeIS “00z790€60# SOSN psat (“0oFs) ~— (os) (19) (£09) (Foor) a) on (3H) (89) wo}3eD07 BOTTLES so qejyrns sepFazaorTy) so jeuoqgie) So eucgielTg wntpos untssej0g unfseuzey un} oTe9 pers3TTJ JO seskTeue uo paseq sie sanzeA TIV) ZL61T YA@WAOAC OL OL6T UAHWHOTA VLVG ALITWNO USLVM ATID AONVADId (*192}77/3u uy pesseidxe aie pue sertdues “CT AIGVL 40 ''“(7L61) 29PTOM pue syaemM :adINn0s *squenzyysuopj jo uns q *suOTIBAIESGO JO T9qUNN = N, 6r7E SZ O£9ST Z°LI Bey LS 61 S60‘T 974 O'” €8 z9 uray 094‘T 040‘T 41 00€ 91 0 TOL 00z O°e 99 %€ €1 mnuyUTH Tes ‘€ OL4‘Z 0z 08s OzI €v1 06L‘5T org z°9 OIT LL unuyxXey OT uofzzeIS *%7z90€60# SOSN 9279°T €€l‘T gI 00% 9°91 0 zL9 L61 €°€ 98 08 ues OTE‘T 768 SI OO€ €1 0 99S OvT L£°z 49 89 IT unwyUTH 070‘Z 094‘T 0z AS 0z % z08 0Sz 8°€ OIl "6 wunuyxey €OI worqeIs *o1z90c60# SOSN 87S ‘T SL4O‘T L°LT LLE SI 0 079 9LT I°€ "8 €8 ueoW O€Z‘T 1S8 SI 06Z ZI 0 €zS ozI S°z SL €L Il unuyUuTy O16‘T O€E‘T 0z 00S Sz 9 OSZ 07 g°e orl OOT unUyTxXeW ZOT woF3ze3S *00Z790€60# sosn eouszonpuog saz (“ors) (0s) (19) (£00) (Foon) (PN) oD (34) (2) NN woF32901 DFJTIedsS BoTTTS so ejyrTns sopFizcTy9 sa }eu0ogqie) so euogqiBoTg unftpos untsse 70g unfseusey munyzoTed C5 Ppar23qTTJ JO seskTeue uo peseq aie san{TeA TTY) ° GZ 38 wo/soyun uz pesseaidxa sft yOTYM sdueQONpuOd oF ZTOeds ydeoxe 1eIFT/3w uz pesseidxe sie pue sotdues €L61 UAANALdAS OL ZL6T UAAOLOO VLVG ALITWNO UALVM NAAN ADNVADId “ET ATAVL 41 ''biological productivity of a water body is directly correlated with its hardness. However, hardness, per se, has no biological significance because biological effects are functions of specific ions and combinations of elements (NAS 1973). Many minor dissolved substances contribute to the total hardness and salinity of waters, but as they are usually present only in trace quantities, their total contribution from the standpoint of hardness is rather insignificant. Effects which may be expected as a result of utilizing waters of varying TDS levels for cropland irrigation and livestock watering were summarized from NAS (1973) (Tables 14 and 15). In terms of these guidelines the surface waters of the Colorado River system are acceptable for livestock watering purposes, but most of the main stem waters have for years exceeded the guideline level for sensitive irrigated crops. Conductivity and TDS values for these waters typically fall into the 750 to 1,500 u¢mhos/cm and 500 to 1,000 mg/liter ranges, respectively, the level of possible detrimental effects for sensitive crops. TABLE 14. RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES FOR SALINITY IN IRRIGATION WATERS FOR ARID AND SEMIARID REGIONS TDS Electrical (mg/liter) Conductance (umhos/cm at 25° C) Water for which no detrimental 500 750 effects are usually noticed Water that can have detrimental 500-1 ,000 750-1,500 effects on sensitive crops Water that can have adverse effects 1,000-2 ,000 1,500-3,000 on many crops Water that can be used on tolerant 2,000-5 ,000 3,000-7 ,500 crops on permeable soils Source: Modified From NAS (1973). Levels of TDS, hardness, and specific constituents which normally represent maximum acceptable limits for particular industrial purposes were summarized from NAS (1973) (Table 16). While ambient surface water quality throughout the Colorado River system is acceptable for a wide range of industrial uses, concentrations of specific constituents which exceed the recommended limits for cooling purposes and certain industrial process uses have been reported (Tables 9, 10, and 11). Piceance Creek waters exceed the 42 ''TABLE 15. GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF SALINE WATERS FOR LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY TDS (mg/liter) Comment Less than 1,000 1,000- 2,999 3,000- 4,999 5,000- 6,999 7 ,000-10 ,000 Over 10,000 Relatively low level of salinity. Excellent for all classes of livestock and poultry. Very satisfactory for all classes of livestock and poultry. May cause temporary and mild diarrhea in livestock not accustomed to them, or water drop- pings in poultry. Satisfactory for livestock, but may cause temporary diarrhea or be refused at first by animals not accustomed to them. Poor waters for poultry, often causing watery feces, increased mortality, and decreased growth, especially in turkeys. Can be used with reasonable safety for dairy and beef cattle, sheep, swine, and horses. Avoid use for pregnant lactating animals. Not acceptable for poultry. Unfit for poultry and probably for swine. Consider- able risk in using for pregnant or lactating cows, horses, sheep, or for the young of these species. In general, use should be avoided although older ruminants, horses, poultry, and swine may subsist on them under certain conditions. Risks with these highly saline waters are so great that they cannot be recommended for use under any conditions. Source: Modified from NAS (1973). 43 ''“(€L6T) SVN Worz PeTZTPOW +:adiINog fooe9 | “SQL 1937T/3W QOO‘T Jo sseoxe uf 3upuTeqUOD 193e4 qd *youy aienbs aed spunog,, = an aes ve 000‘ 479 ote tee 000‘zT see uoT3INTos yoeetT 1raddog OES *T OOT‘ Z eee ZT vE9‘ST eee eee eee 2005 ‘T 103e1}UaDU0D eptstns 1eddog -3uTutW 006 00s ‘€ S8 009‘T 006 08Y 0€z Ss 0zz mneTo1328g 000‘T 00s ‘*z al 00S oss 009 riers OOT 0Sz TeoFMey) SLY 080‘T os 00z a vee vee 2 me oats aaded pue dtng OzT OST oe wee a aie ime bere ee aTTIXeL :8uyssa.0id [TeTaqysnpuy 000*Z o00*SE Sz 000 ‘zz 002*Z O8T oe ae 00z‘T aqTohoe1 dnayey 0002 OOO.SE =z 000 ‘Zz 002 ‘Z O8T ome ssi 002 ‘T y8noiy3 aug - 193eM ysTyorig oss 000‘T OST 00s 089 009 - a 00s efokoer dnayeq ose 000‘T 0S 009 089 009 2 ie vee 00s y8no1y2 20u9 - i97]eAyselg :3uz Too 000‘S O00‘SE OST 000‘ 6T 00% ‘T 009 se ie 2 wre 3tsd Q00‘S 03 004 AIFTFIN 000‘S O00‘SE OST 000‘6T 00%‘T 009 de *es "cs 3Fsd 00s‘T 03 0 TeFz3snpul :dnayeum ret fog (fooe) saz ~—-(“oFs) (19) (os) ("oon) (i + BN) (3H) (89) asq 1038 ssoupieyq BOTTTS SePFAOTYD sezezINS sajeuoqieoTg_ wWNTssej0og wuntseuse_y wumToTeD pue wnftpos (°423}71/3u uf pesseidxe e1e pue suNMyxXeM VIe SENTeA TTY) SHIIddN$ WALVM TVIYLSNGNI YOA SADUNOS SV GHSN NAIA AAVH LVHL SUALVM AOVAUNS AO SOILSIUALOVUVHD ALITWnNd O1AIOadS AO AUVWWNS “OT ATGVL 44 ''recommended guidelines for a number of industrial purposes (Tables 12 and 13). Oil shale developmental activities on the Piceance Creek watershed are likely to result in further degradation in the quality of the stream. No specific maximum limits for hardness, or salinity (TDS) or specific ions are specified for the protection of aquatic life. The NAS (1973) report, however, recommended that bioassays and field studies be conducted when dissolved materials are altered to determine the limits that aquatic ecosystems can tolerate without endangering their structure and function. Drinking water standards prior to 1975 recommended against using waters with a TDS limit exceeding 500 mg/liter (USPHS 1962). This recommendation was not adopted by NAS (1973). Also, in its revised drinking water guidelines USEPA (1975b) did not adopt the previous recommendation since many public drinking water supplies with TDS levels exceeding 500 mg/liter are in current use with no ill effects to the consumers. Both NAS (1973) and USEPA (1975b) did, however, recommend limits of 250 mg/liter for both chlorides and sulfates in public drinking water supplies. It is estimated that the salt concentrating effects of a 1l-million- barrel-per-day industry would increase the salinity at Hoover Dam by 10 to 27 mg/liter, depending on the quantities of water required (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-76). The impact on the river would not be immediate, but as high quality ground water supplies decrease and the rate of surface water withdrawal increases, the effects would become more pronounced (USDI 1973, vol. I, pp. III-75, 76). TOXIC SUBSTANCES Sources Many activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry which could potentially increase the total salt burden of surface waters could similarly increase the potential for contamination with a variety of toxic substances including trace elements, pesticides and miscellaneous substances. Raw and retorted shale contain a number of potentially toxic substances in varying concentrations. Ward et al. (1971) reported on concentrations of minor constituents in water after intimate contact with raw and spent shale (Table 17). Stanfield et al. (1951) and Stanfield et al. (1964) reported on the trace element content of spent shale ash from the Green River Formation in Colorado and Utah (Table 18). Cook (1973) reported the concentration of trace elements in pyrolyzed shale (500° C) from the Mahogany zone in the Piceance Creek Basin of Colorado (Table 19). Although wide discrepancies in the data are apparent, these analyses demonstrate that retorted oil shale contains numerous potentially toxic trace elements which may eventually reach surface waters. 45 ''TABLE 17. CONCENTRATIONS OF MINOR CONSTITUENTS IN WATER AFTER INTIMATE CONTACT WITH RETORTED SHALE Maximum Concentration Ion Observed (mg/liter) Source Test Al 2.5 TOSCO Column (first leachate) Ba 4.0 Raw Blender Br <0.1 ‘ Cu <0.1 Cr <0.1 . 8 .* © © te F 3.4 UOC Blender Fe 1.7 TOSCO Column (first leachate) I 0.16 ‘ oe © « Mn <0.1 s 8 % o . oe w © * we HR ww w Pb (TTP) septotised ajeweqie) O°? (449d) XPATTS G°? (3aa) XPATTS $00 °0 susydexo] O°St (1T®s wntTpos) oeueg O°T LOT YOAKOYIOW 0°” (aga) d-7‘Z ¢00°0O ouepuTT O'T uoantg TO000 °0O aprxodg rtoTyoeqdey c*0 qenbtq 1000 °0 oT yori dey c°0 suoTYyoTg $000 °0 ufapuy O*LE TFusqoTyotd T00°O uTAPTETd 092 equeotd S0°0 Lad O°OTT uodetTeq €00°0 ouepszoT yo 0°O0€ eTozeTazjoUuTUy T00°*O uTIPTV :SqZUeTTOFEp ‘septoTzuny ‘sepTtotqiey :suoqieo0iphky po eurrzoT yD p (293 FT/3n) uoT}eAVUsDUON punoduog p(22F FT /3m) IUTT spunoduog wunUTXe,, pepucswuModsy popusumMo0 .0y @4I1T OILVAOV JO NOILOULOUd AHL YOA UALVM (CAYALTIANN) MOOLSAALT GNV HAVINI NVWOH WdOd dasn AIOHM NI SLNVI1I0A90 GNV ‘SHCIOIONAA ‘SaaIO SYALVM NI SHCIOILSHd CaLOATHS AO -IGYadH AO SNOILVYLNADNOD WAWIXVW GHCNAWNOOTA “72 ATAVL SNOITLVYINAONOD WAWIXVW CHCNSWWOOTN “TE AIEVL 62 ''Most pesticides undergo rapid degradation in the environment and, while highly toxic for a short while, soon are degraded metabolically or otherwise to relatively innocuous materials. On the other hand, some pesticides, particularly the organochlorine insecticides, are extremely resistant to degradation and are subject to biological accumulation directly from the water and through the food web. This results in insecticide concentrations in higher trophic-level organisms several thousand times higher than ambient water levels. Comparison of ambient water quality data for the Colorado River System (Table 26) with water quality criteria recommendations (Tables 30 and 31) reveals that concentrations of aldrin, DDT, dieldrin, and endrin approached or exceeded the recommended maximum levels for the protection of aquatic life, humans, and livestock at various locations. In recent years fish and bird mortalities attributable to organochlorine pesticides have occurred in and downstream from irrigation ditches in the Lower Colorado Basin. Water quality criteria recommendations for other categories of pesticides (Table 32) and other toxic substances (Table 33) were established by NAS (1973) for various water uses including protection of aquatic life and humans. Since few ambient data on levels of these substances in the Colorado River system are available, it is not known whether or not they constitute a potential hazard. TABLE 33. VARIOUS TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN WATER AND RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM CONCENTRATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF MAN AND AQUATIC LIFE Water Use Substance Aquatic Life Public Water Supply Chlorine 0.003 mg/liter Nu? Cyanide 0.005 mg/1iter/AF’ 0.2 mg/liter Detergent, Detergent Builders linear alkylate sulfonate (LAS) 0.02 mg/liter/AF 0.5 mg/liter Phenolic compounds 0.1 mg/liter/AF 1.0 yg/liter Phthalate esters 0.3 pg/liter NL Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) 0.002 ug/liter NL 4 NL = No Limits b AF means a safety factor is applied to LDs5g bioassay data derived with a sensitive species sought to be protected. Source: NAS (1973). 63 ''Certain toxic substances (Table 33) generally occur in water at hazardous levels only in heavily industrialized metropolitan areas. Consequently, it is unlikely that they pose a serious hazard in the Colorado River Basin at the . present time. Accelerated industrial and urban expansion, however, could significantly increase ambient levels of these substances in the aquatic ecosystem. NUTRIENTS Sources The term “nutrient” can legitimately be applied to any element, vitamin, hormone or other substance which is utilized metabolically for growth or maintenance by living organisms. From the standpoint of water quality, the nutrients of major concern are nitrogen and phosphorous owing to their contributions to the eutrophication problems. It is these macronutrients which are addressed in this section. Both nitrogen and phosphorous enter surface waters by natural and man-induced processes. Nitrogen enters waters naturally through fixation from the atmosphere and through geologic and biogenic processes. Leaching of phosphorous from calcium-phosphate rocks and soils along with the importation of allochthonous organic materials are among the most important natural sources of phosphorous in waters. Nitrogen and phosphorus loading to waterways occurs as a result of many human activities including agriculture, industrialization, and urbanization. Goldberg (1970) summarized the estimated nutrient contributions of both nitrogen and phosphorus from various common sources (Table 34). It is seen that rural runoff is the single largest contributor of both elements, with domestic wastes the second largest contributor in terms of total poundage. Potential sources of nitrogen and phosphorus loading to the surface waters as a result of the development of an oil shale industry include municipal wastes, ground water discharge, stack emissions, runoff from raw and spent shales and commercial fertilizers. The primary effect of urban growth on water quality would result from increased nutrient loading via domestic sewage. Most municipal treatment plants in the Colorado River Basin provide secondary treatment plus disinfection, which is the minimum degree of treatment required by the basin states in populated areas. An influx of people to the oil shale area will place an added burden on existing sewage treatment plants requiring expansion of existing plants or construction of new facilities if the state's water quality standards are to be met. Increasing the capacity of municipal treatment plants should partially alleviate the problems of additional nutrient releases to surface waters as a result of population growth, but additional loading over the present level is to be expected. Municipal wastes receiving secondary 64 ''“(0L61) 32eqPT09 Worz PeTJTPOW :e0AN0g ‘a0ejins 19q.eM OF ATIOSATP pejnqtTaquod. [TejuTei siepTsuog) q ‘a7eUTISe SyeU OF STqeTTeAe eJep JUETOTJZJNSUT €0°0-10°0 6-£ 0°c-T'O 06S-0€ gi eared S*T-1T°0O OLT-IT OI-T OOT‘T-OIT yyounzr ueqaf) D D D 000‘ T< aqSseM TeuTue wieg Z°0-70°0 OSZ-OST ¢*0-T*O 006 ‘T-00% pueyl Tein} [NITAseuoN T°1T-S0°0 007 *T-OZT OL-T 000‘ST-00S‘T puey Teanqz[NItTsa3y :yyounz [Teany D D 000 ‘OT-0 000‘ I< aqsem TeTAIsNpuy 0°6-S°E 00S -002 O7-8T 009‘ T-OOT ST 94SeM IF ZSoUlog (193TT/3w) (SUOTTT TW) (193 TT /3w) (suoTTTTW) @BAIeYOSTp UT aeek jod oBAeYUOSTp UT zeoak rad aoanos uoT}e1UBDUOD spunog uot }eAUeDU0D spunog Tensn Tensn snioydsoyg ues0lI TIN SH0uNOS SNOLYVA WONA SNOILNAIYLNOD INATYLNN dO SALVWILSH “ve ATaVL 65 ''treatment are very high in plant-available nutrients, consequently the increased volume of treated wastes will result in increased nutrient loading to waterways. Ground waters in the oil shale area are rich in nitrogen with concentrations of nitrates as high as 55 mg/liter reported from a spring in the Piceance Basin (Coffin, et al. 1968). Data available on phosphorus concentrations in ground water indicate levels are not unacceptably high. Release of ground water to surface waters, regardless of the mechanism, represents a potential source of nitrogen loading, but probably does not represent a significant source of phosphorus. Stack emissions from industrial operations are a potential source of nitrogen entry to waterways via atmospheric rainout. Nitrogen oxides will be emitted from retorting operations and power generation, but the quantity of nitrogen which will reach waterways via this route is unknown. Leachates from spent shale piles are another possible mechanism by which both nitrogen and phosphorus could reach surface waters. The study by Ward et al. (1971) of the pollution potential of spent oil shale residues revealed nitrate concentrations of 186 mg/liter in leachates from TOSCO shale and phosphate concentrations of 35 mg/liter. Few data are readily available on concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen in oil shale and soils in this area. Goldberg (1970) points out that organic-rich shales can be a source of nitrogen in water, with some Miocene shales contributing up to 8,600 mg nitrogen/kg shale. Analysis of pyrolized shale by Stanfield et al. (1951) and Stanfield et al. (1964) did not include nitrogen data, but concentrations of phosphorus by weight were reported as 4,000 mg/kg and 1,500 mg/kg, respectively. The potential for nitrogen and phosphorus release to surface water from spent shale is unknown, but owing to the high concentrations of these elements in the shales a potential certainly exists. Ambient Levels Nitrate nitrogen was the only nutrient parameter routinely measured and reported by USGS for the Colorado, Green, and White Rivers during the 1964-65 and 1968-69 water years (USGS 1970, 1974). Maximum nitrate values reported at selected stations reveal abnormally high concentrations in the Colorado River at Cisco, Utah and the Green River at Green River, Utah (Table 35). Such extremely high values are of questionable validity as nitrate values in excess of 5.0 mg/liter in surface waters are rare. Additional nutrient data on the reach of the White River adjacent to tracts U-a/U-b in Utah during the period August 1974 through August 1975 were reported by VIN (1975) (Table 36). Ignoring the obviously erroneous values reported for orthophosphorus and orthophosphate at Station S$-3, the data indicate nutrient levels in this reach of the White River were not excessively high during this period. 66 ''"(7261 ‘OL61) SOSN :e80an0g *suoTjeAresqo jo Jaquny = y D ~ oO T°€ G°sS VT 8°0O O°¢l ZI T'O €°4 S £°0 O°ET LY 0°0 I'l LT 696T WG 0°? 7 £°T Lee 0 f°O 62°? LT 6°0 0°62 TE T°0O 8°0 € S961 UuIN = XPNOUOUNN UIN =6XPK COUN UIN XPWN N UIN XEN N UIN =6-xXeW oN euoztay Aiiaq seed YeIN AVATY use41y yein ‘uoszeM yen ‘Oost ‘oTo9‘*‘ssutaids poomue [5 J®eATY Opeszoptog J2ATY useiy JaATY o3TYM J®ATY Opezotog JaATY OpesroqTog (*21997T[/S8u ut pesseidxe ese pue setTdwes peszsaq{[Ty jo sosfhTeue uo peseq e1e suot}eijUs0U09 TTV) 6961 GNV S961 SUVAA UALVM ONIUNG SNOILVOOI AALOATAS LV SYSATY ALIHM CNV NAqYD *OGVHOIOD AHL NI (N - ©ON) NHOOULIN ALVULIN 40 STHAMI LNAIGNV ‘SE ATAVL ''"(SL6T) sqa0dey ATie7z7eNH YAC pue YAy NIA :a0anos ‘anTeA snosuoiaza ATSNOTAGO *suoTJeAAVSGO JO AequNN = X, 8T0" 40° 2 ZO" 90° 42 ges % 489 LZ Z0° 70° "7 snoioydsoydoyj 10 yT’ 19° 2 LE 6°T «(42 6T* Tr & ey" Ly" 4Z snoioydsoud so" zi" 2 90° 8I° 92 ges gole Le €S0° wi" "7 azeydsoydoyi30 yI° 4S" 2% €I° Tl €2 Zt” Le* LZ z1° 1S° 47 fon + On 09° S*Z @ IT'T 9°L 42 ZL" E°€ 97 90°T 6°79 TyepTe fy 41° @S* 12 El’ T'l 2 a1" 6€° 22 Let" Os° €Z 27e13 IN 00° €0° 2 10° 40° 42 00° 10° €Z 91000° 10° "7 23TIIIN eo" Gi" ga 70" @I° 4 0° 61° 42 0° 67° "2 eTuoWUy ues =XeW N uea xe N ue XeW N ue aw XBW NL, ysem 3Teydsy uokueg wey jnos UOTIEIS OTIeUZT uoxkuej OTOH STT°H II-S uotieIS y-S uoTIeIS €-S uoT{eIS I-S uoT}eIS (*1e977T/3u ut pesseidxe pue seTdues petei[Tjy jo soskTeue uo peseq aie suoT}eijuaou0d TTY) S/6l LSNdAV - yL6l LSNOAV $4-N/e-N SLOVUL YVAN WHATY ALIHM FHL YOd VIVG LNAIMLAN INAIGWV “9€ ATAVL 68 ''; 2 7 ie 2 Impact The significance of nitrogen and phosphorus in aquatic ecosystems is well documented in the literature. A great deal of published information discussing the role of these nutrients in the eutrophication process is referenced by Mackenthun (1965), Likens (1972), and Many others. For the purpose of this discussion, let it suffice to say that nitrogen and phosphorus are the two major nutrients most frequently singled out for control or removal at waste treatment plants in an attempt to slow the eutrophication process. Any nutrient can limit productivity if unavailable in quantities sufficient to meet the minimum requirements of the biota relative to the availability of other nutrients. However, many of the micronutrients need only be present in minute quantities to satisfy basic biological requirements and their control or removal is prohibitively costly, if indeed possible. Furthermore, the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus at sewage treatment plants can frequently be effected with existing technology and at feasible costs, thereby limiting productivity and alleviating the eutrophication problem in a given water body. Nutrients in various forms as well as the excessive productivity they induce in aquatic systems can interfere with beneficial water uses. NAS (1973) did not establish numerical water quality nutrient criteria for purposes of limiting the productivity of aquatic life. It is necessary to know the productivity responses of various water types to ambient nutrient levels if realistic numerical limits are to be prescribed for ambient nutrient concentrations or loading rates. Such relationships are presently being developed and tested at EMSL-LV utilizing data obtained from lakes sampled in the National Eutrophication Survey and may provide a basis for the development of numerical criteria. NAS (1973) established criteria for particular nutrient forms for beneficial water uses. Included were criteria for waters used for industrial purposes, public water supplies, and livestock watering. In addition, criteria were established for the protection of aquatic life from toxic ammonia (Table 37). Examination of water use criteria data (Table 37) suggests Colorado River waters are acceptable for most beneficial uses, providing the abnormally high nitrate values are erroneous. Additional nutrient loading in the Colorado River system resulting from an oil shale industry and associated urban development would undoubtedly adversely impact localized reaches of streams, but the cumulative impact on the Colorado River system cannot be predicted with certainty. The rate of loading will depend in part upon the distribution and density of the human population, as well as the degree of treatment which the wastes receive. 69 ''TABLE 37. NUTRIENT WATER QUALITY CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATED BENEFICIAL WATER USES (All units are in mg/liter.) Water Use Nutrient Public Water Industrial Aquatic Form Supply Livestock Purposes Life a b Ammonia 0.5 NL 40.0 0.02/AF C C Nitrates 10.0 100.0 8.0 NL Nitrites 1.0 10.0 NL NL d Phosphates NL NL 4.0 NL 4 QNL = No limit. Dar means a safety factor is applied to LD5g bioassay data derived with a sensitive species sought to be protected. Includes nitrates and nitrites. donly the most stringent industrial use criteria are listed. Source: NAS (1973). HYDROGRAPHIC MODIFICATION 4 General Hydrographic modification refers to procedures that change the movement, 1 flow or circulation of any navigable waters or ground waters (USEPA 1975a). An in-depth examination of all potential disturbances which could alter the water balance of the oil shale area or the Colorado River Basin is beyond the scope of this report. Consequently, in the following discussion, selected types of anticipated disturbances and their potential impacts are examined in an attempt to provide insight into problems associated with hydrographic modification and requirements for assessing the problems. Anticipated disturbances can be categorized by the manner in which they alter water systems as follows: (1) creation of new impoundments, (2) drainage of existing impoundments, (3) diversion of natural drainage, (4) flow depletions, and (5) disturbances to streambeds. 70 ''Creation of New Impoundments Withdrawal of surface waters for operational purposes will require the construction of new reservoirs to assure an adequate supply of water during all seasons. Since the Uinta Basin apparently does not contain large ground water reserves, oil shale development in that area is contingent upon the availability of surface waters. The White River is being considered as a potential location for a reservoir to trap flood waters as a means of providing a dependable supply to support operations on the Utah tracts. Plans for the construction of the dam are not firm as appropriation rights are somewhat clouded (See Section 2 of this report for further discussion of available sources of surface waters). Storage ponds may be required to store water imported to the tract site and possibly to store excess water pumped from aquifers during mine dewatering operations. The number and size of ponds which may be required for these purposes are indefinite at present. Additional impoundments may be required for disposal of liquid and slurry wastes and for the containment of mud slides and spent shale or leachates in the event of failure or leaching of disposal piles. Drainage of Existing Impoundments It is not anticipated that any major reservoirs will be modified by developmental or operational activities, but small ponds in the area may be drained or altered. Since ponds in the area are not abundant, such occurrences would be uncommon. Diversion of Natural Drainage Natural drainage patterns will be disrupted by the network of roads, powerlines and ‘pipelines required to provide access and services to the area and to transport oil and wastewater from the processing sites (USDI 1973, VOl. I, p- I1I-21). Streams and washes will be disrupted by construction of roads and utility corridors, but such disturbances are generally temporary and localized. Diversion channels will be constructed along roadways to handle storm runoff and to decrease the potential for washout. Disposal of overburden and spent shale in box canyons will result in eventual obliteration of the canyons and complete alteration of their drainage patterns. Streamflow and runoff will have to be routed over, under, or around the spent shale piles to provide adequate drainage, thereby minimizing the potential for leaching of pollutants and failure of the disposal piles. Flow Depletions Consumptive uses of surface and ground water for industrial operations and associated urban development would result in substantial reductions in yak ''both the quantity and quality of available surface waters. Projected water requirements and available sources of water for various levels of industrial development are discussed in detail in Section 2 of this report. Streambed Disturbance Streambed disturbance resulting from installation of culverts, and/or temporary diversions, will be common. Since such disturbances usually are confined to short reaches of streams, physical stabilization and biological recolonization of such areas is usually rapid. Impact Historically, mining operations have been equated with landscape destruction and water quality degradation. Typically, mining operations involve the movement and relocation of large volumes of extracted material resulting in drastic changes in the topography and drainage characteristics of exploited areas. The oil shale industry is similar to most other extractive mining and processing industries in that large expanses of the landscape will be disturbed by the development and operation of a commercial industry resulting in permanent alteration of the water storage and drainage system. The evolution of the oil shale industry, however, differs from that of most mining industries in that initial development will occur primarily on Federal lands under rigid government controls and regulations instituted to minimize the environmental impact of such development. Although the development of the industry will occur in strict adherence to environmental guidelines, unavoidable deleterious consequences will inevitably result. Many of the disturbances will be localized and temporary, and the damage repairable. These disturbances although locally and temporarily significant, do not permanently alter the regional hydrological regimes. Conversely, those disturbances which potentially alter the water budget of entire river systems could seal the fate of the industry in the early developmental stages. Activities such as road building, pipeline installation, shale disposal, mine dewatering, etc., could permanently alter the hydraulics of streams in the area. Ground water withdrawals will probably have the greatest impact as continuous pumping over a period of years could dry up a number of springs in the Piceance Basin and eliminate much of the seepage to surface waters. Mine dewatering at the rate of 0.85 m3/s (30 ft3/s) for a 30-year period in the C-a tract would lower the entire water table within an 8-mile radius of the site (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-70). Up to 37 springs within this area would experience adverse effects ranging from reduction of flow to complete cessation of flow (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-70). Reduction in total flows from springs will ultimately reduce the amount of water reaching Yellow Creek. If excess ground water of suitable quality is available to replenish flows, changes in stream hydraulics will be minimal. In the event high quality ground water is not available to replenish surface flow, however, ground water withdrawal could have a substantial impact on the hydrological regimes of the area. 72 ''The number of canyons to be used for disposal of spent shale and overburden depends upon the mining and disposal methods used (USDI 1973, vol. I, pp. III-11-30). Surface mining will require overburden disposal sites which are not required for underground methods. Backfilling of surface or underground mines with spent shale would substantially reduce the total area and number of canyons required for shale disposal. For example, if tract C-b is mined with underground techniques, and backfilling is not practical, three canyons would be required for disposal and each would be filled to a depth of 75 m for several kilometers (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-14). If backfilling is practiced, 60% of the spent shale could be placed in the mined out area and a single canyon would be required for disposal of the remaining material (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-15). Backfilling also greatly reduces the potential for subsidence. Subsidence, if it occurs, could result in significant modification of stream courses. Until mining and disposal methods to be used at each site are specified, the extent to which water courses will be altered cannot be determined. It is obvious that changes will result regardless of the methods employed. However, the extent of alteration can be minimized where underground mining methods and backfilling are practiced. Construction of dams to impound flowing waters destroys endemic terrestrial or lotic communities in the inundated area, but in so doing creates habitats for potential colonization by lentic aquatic species. Although the impact of impoundment construction obliterates established biotic communities, the long-term effects are not without certain benefits. Reservoirs trap sediments and stabilize downstream flows, thus creating more favorable habitats for some aquatic organisms. Dams which effectively reduce sediment loads and the frequency and severity of flooding generally result in colonization by greater numbers of aquatic plants and animals, both in terms of diversity and total abundance, than formally occupied the stream reach. Terrestrial and semi-aquatic communities may also become more stably established along stream banks once flooding is curtailed. MICROORGANISMS Possibilities exist for the microbial contamination of surface waters as a consequence of rapid population increases resulting in overloaded sewage treatment facilities and the subsequent discharge of improperly treated sewage. Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi are all potential waterborne transmitters or causative agents of diseases. The extent to which public health might be affected by expanded population cannot be projected at this time (USDI 1973, vol. I, p.- ILI-100). Proper precautionary sanitation measures and construction or expansion of adequate sewage treatment facilities would minimize risks of microbial contamination of waterways, and subsequent potential public health hazards. 73 ''RADIOACTIVITY Sources Assessment of naturally occurring radionuclides found in oil shale has not been extensive. Natural radioactivity is inherent to oil shale as a result of its genesis from the decay of ubiquitous uranium-238. Lee et al. (1976) computed the atmospheric emissions expected to be released by a 100,000-barrel-per-day mining, retorting, and upgrading opera- tion (Table 38). Concentrations of uranium (U), thorium (Th), and potassium (K) in the spent shale are reported by Lee et al. (1976) as 0.99 mg/liter, 0.77 mg/liter and 2.72% respectively. The retorting process removes the organic portion of the oil shale, thus concentrating the mineral matter in the spent shale. In order to determine relative amounts of U, Th and K in raw or unprocessed shale, the spent shale concentrations are multiplied by the percent of mineral matter in the raw shale. Considering that mineral matter in the 35-gallon-per-ton oil shale is 82.6% and assuming that all U, Th, and K remain in the spent shale during retorting, the uranium-238, thorium-232 and potassium-40 concentrations in raw Colorado oil shale would be 0.82 mg/liter, 0.64 mg/liter and 2.7% respectively. The assumption made by Lee et al. (1976) that all the uranium-238, thorium-232 and potassium-40 contained in the shale remain through the retort process is supported by sketchy data collected by the USEPA's Las Vegas Office of Radiation Programs (Michael O'Connell, personal communication, December 8, 1976). The data indicate only small differences between the raw oil shale and the retorted or spent shale with respect to uranium and radium concentrations. Ambient Levels Analysis of both ground water and surface water data in the Colorado River and its tributaries indicate high levels of radioactivity may exist (USGS data from STORET). Gross alpha readings for the Green River near Green River, Utah indicate a maximum of 40 picocuries/liter (pCi/liter), and a mean of 12 pCi/liter. Analysis in 1972 of well water on Federal tract C-b indicates the maximum dissolved beta activity expressed as cesium-137 to be 250 pCi/liter (USGS data from STORET). The United States Geological Survey expresses beta activity in equivalent amounts of either cesium-137 or strontium-yttrium-90; therefore, the beta activity reported is not cesium-137 or strontium-yttrium-90. Tritium levels on the main stem of the Colorado River have been reported as high as 2,280 hydrogen-3 units or approximately 7,300 pCi/liter near Cisco, Utah (USGS data taken from STORET). U.S. Geological Survey data for surface waters of the Colorado River Basin show suspended beta expressed as cesium-137 to be 400 pCi/liter and dissolved beta expressed as cesium-137 to be 14 pCi/liter (STORET data). 74 ''TABLE 38. RADIONUCLIDE EMISSIONS TO THE AIR FROM A 100,000-BARREL-PER-DAY OIL SHALE MINING, RETORTING, AND UPGRADING OPERATION Dust Gases Particulates Radionuclide (uCi/day) (uCi/day) (uCi/day) Uranium-238 0.64 4.9 Thorium-234 0.64 4.9 Protactinium-234 0.64 4.9 Uranium-234 0.64 4.9 Protactinium-234 0.64 4.9 Thorium-230 0.64 4.9 Radium-226 0.64 4.9 Radon-222 -- 32,800 -— Polonium-214 0.64 4.9 Lead-214 0.64 4.9 Bismuth-214 0.64 4.9 Polonium-214 0.64 4.9 Lead-210 0.64 4.9 Bismuth-210 0.64 4.9 Polonium-210 0.64 4.9 Thorium-232 0.16 1.3 Radium-228 0.16 1.3 Actinium-228 0.16 le3 Thorium-228 0.16 1.3 Radium-224 0.16 1.3 Radon-220 -- 8,300 -- Polonium-216 0.16 1.3 Lead-212 0.16 1.3 Bismuth-212 0.16 1.3 Polonium-212 0.10 0.9 Thallium-208 0.06 0.4 Potassium-40 40 310.0 Total 50.4 41,100 390.3 Source: Modified from Lee, et al. (1976). 75 ''High levels of suspended gross beta relative to dissolved gross beta can be attributed to an increase in suspended sediments. Since gross alpha and gross beta are typically reported in radioactivity nuclide per unit volume (pCi/liter) rather than radioactivity per unit weight (pCi/g) the occurrence of substantial amounts of suspended sediments in a sample may lead to gross radioactivity values much higher than would be expected were there little or no sediment. Radiochemical data collected by the USEPA's Environmental Radiation Branch of the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory-Las Vegas, (USEPA 1976a) indicates ambient levels of radionuclides in ground waters and surface waters of the Colorado River System are well below the USEPA drinking water standards (USEPA 1976b). Impact The USEPA Drinking Water Régulations for radionuclides (USEPA 1976b) (Table 39) specify that strontium-90 levels shall not exceed 8 pCi/liter, tritium 20,000 pCi/liter, gross alpha 15 pCi/liter and that radium-226 and radium-228 combined not exceed 5 pCi/liter. TABLE 39. NATIONAL DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS FOR RADIOACTIVITY Parameter Regulation Gross Alpha 15 pCi/liter Gross Beva? 50 pCi/liter Radium combined 226, 228 O05 pCi/liter Strontium 90 08 pCi/liter Tritium (H3) 20,000 pCi/liter ?When the gross alpha particle activity exceeds 5 pCi/liter further analysis is required to define the alpha contributors. Implied limit, not expressly given as a regulation. Source: USEPA (1976b). 76 ''An environmental impact study is currently underway in the Uinta Basin, one portion of which addresses radioactive contaminants derived from oil shale. The information available from this study indicates that for a prototype industry, there is no clear or distinct threat of radioactive contamination. However, no reliable data have been gathered on the impacts resulting from mining or land reclamation concerning increased mobility of uranium and radium by water saturation of the disturbed areas. It is clear that a need exists for further research into this area. OIL AND GREASE The possibilities for oil losses exist wherever oil is produced, processed, or transported. It is estimated that a mature 1-million-barrel- per-day industry will require about 280 km (150 miles) of new pipeline to transport shale oil to major existing pipelines (USDI 1973, vol. I, p- III-183). Predicted loss through spillage due to pipeline transport ranges from 1-100 barrels/yr (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-183). However, the potential for much larger volume spills exists. In the event a large-volume spill reaches a waterway and the oil cannot be contained or removed, very severe damage to the aquatic biota and waterfowl would result. Smaller volume spills, such as those resulting from smaller pipeline leaks, could cause local damage to the biota, and if undetected for a long period of time, the damage could be substantial. Oil and grease in public water supplies can also cause objectionable taste, odor and appearance problems, and can be hazardous to human health (NAS 1973). To avoid such problems, NAS (1973) recommends that public water supply sources be essentially free from oil and grease. Aquatic life and wildlife should be protected where the following NAS (1973) criteria are observed: (1) no visible oil on surface of waters, (2) emulsified oils do not exceed 0.05 of the 96—hr LCs5o value, (3) concentrations of hexane-extractable substances (exclusive of elemental sulfur) in air-dried sediments do not increase above 1,000 mg/kg on a dry weight basis. TEMPERATURE Causes of Temperature Alteration Temperature differences between the upper and lower reaches of the Colorado River system are pronounced during all seasons due primarily to climatic, geographic, and topographic factors. Natural temperature regimes of the river system are disrupted by large reservoirs such as Flaming Gorge 77 ''Reservoir on the Green River and Lakes Powell and Mead on the Colorado River. The effect of the reservoirs is to lower summer temperatures and in some cases increase winter temperatures for considerable distances downstream from the discharge. Thermal springs, waste discharges, and irrigation return flows may increase the temperatures of receiving waters locally, but heat added from these sources is usually dissipated quickly. As the oil shale industry matures, stream temperatures may be altered somewhat by municipal and industrial waste discharges, consumptive uses of surface waters, lowering of the ground water table, landscape modifications, and construction of new reservoirs. A major potential for temperature increases is the discharge of heated water (used in cooling processes) from power generating plants. Impact Considering the vastness of the Colorado River System and the inherent wide natural variability in temperatures, thermal effects resulting from oil shale development are expected to be of little significance in terms of the natural temperature regime of the river system (USDI 1975, vol. I, p. ILI-98). Temperature is not a critical factor for water used for industrial, agriculture, or public water supply purposes; but aquatic biota could be adversely affected by localized thermal effects as aquatic invertebrates and fish are very sensitive to temperature changes. Many fish species can tolerate fairly wide ranges in temperature but reproduction and growth can only occur within fairly narrow ranges. Cold-water species, such as trout, for example, are found in waters whose winter temperatures may drop below freezing and whose summer maximum may exceed 22° C, while growth for such species occurs between 3.3° and 14.4°C (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-181). If water temperatures in spawning grounds are elevated beyond 12.8° C during the spawning seasons, successful reproduction may not occur, even though adults may continue to flourish (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-181). Extremes, variations, and particularly sudden changes in temperature impact all components of the aquatic ecosystem. Temperature extremes and changes not only affect the biota directly, but also influence their susceptibility to disease and toxic compounds; likewise it affects the solubility of oxygen and other gases, decomposition rates of organic materials, and the community structure and stability of aquatic ecosystems. Because temperature criteria for various aquatic species are so poorly defined and variable, no attempt is made here to present recommended limits. For a discussion of temperature requirements for various aquatic species, see NAS (1973), Section III "Freshwater Aquatic Life and Wildlife, Heat and Temperature", pages 151-171. 78 ''SEDIMENTS Sources Erosion, transport, and deposition of particulate matter are natural geologic sedimentation processes which have been in continuous operation for millions of years. Much of the oil shale area is highly susceptible to both wind- and water-induced natural sedimentation processes owing to the semiarid climatic condition and the rugged topography characterizing much of the area. The rather scant vegetation affords little protection against soil loss in an area which receives much of its precipitation as snowfall and torrential thunderstorms and is frequently exposed to high velocity, turbulent winds. Development of an oil shale industry and associated activities will exacerbate sedimentation problems by disturbing large expanses of the landscape, thereby increasing the susceptibility of the area to erosion. Some land forms are known to be less stable than others and, consequently, more subject to erosion, but no attempt has been made to characterize the land forms in the area as to their relative stability. It is also known that three basic processes are most significant in affecting erosion: (1) the scouring and transport of sediment by intermittent and ephemeral streams, (2) slope erosion (sheet erosion, channel erosion, and gullying of slopes), (3) downslope mass movement of consolidated materials (Everett et al. 1974). However, the potential contribution of each process to the total sediment load of perennial streams in the area has not been quantified. These problems will have to be answered, at least in part, before sedimentation sources can be identified and the relative contribution of each to the stream sediment loads determined. It is estimated that a l-million-barrel-per-day industry would affect an aggregate area of approximately 32,376 hectares (80,000 acres) over a 30-year period, of which 20,235 hectares (50,000 acres) would be required for actual production (disposal etc.), while the remainder would be required for utility corridors, roads, and urban expansion (USDI 1973, vol. I, p. III-12). Accelerated sedimentation would necessarily result from such industrial disturbances to the landscape as removal and deposition of overburden for open pit mining; the construction of roads and pipelines and the disposal of spent shales in high canyons, etc. The questions that emerge, however, are: to what degree will erosion and sedimentation be increased; what materials will be most susceptible to movement; and what will be the impact on waterways? At the present time, these questions cannot be answered given the current state of knowledge of the sedimentation potential and processes in the area. Ambient Levels Suspended sediment levels have been measured by USGS at several sites throughout the Colorado River Basin since the early 1930's. In general, depth integrated samples were collected daily, but during periods of high flow or variable discharge, measurements were made as frequently as two or three times 79 ''daily. During periods of stable flow, samples for a number of days were composited to obtain average daily loads (USGS 1970). Monthly ranges of suspended sediment concentrations at selected sites on the Colorado, Green and White Rivers are summarized for water years 1965 and 1969 (Table 40). These data, summarized from USGS (1970, 1974), provide an indication of the great seasonal variability in concentrations of suspended sediment in these waters. The total suspended sediment load in transport is a function of concentration and discharge. Generally maximum sediment transport occurs during periods of maximum discharge, but this is not always the case. The manner in which precipitation and runoff occurs greatly influences the suspended sediment concentration in flowing water and therefore the total quantities of sediments in suspension. For example, much of the late spring and early summer, flow is derived from snowmelt in the upper watershed. If snowmelt is gradual, these waters may be relatively low in suspended sediment concentration since little erosion and subsequent sediment transport has occurred. On the other hand, highly intense summer thunderstorm activity may induce severe erosion resulting in very high suspended sediment loading to receiving water. Impact The composition and concentration of suspended sediments in surface waters are important because of their effects on light penetration, temperature, solubility products and aquatic life. Sediments in industrial waters also erode power turbines and pumping equipment. Absorption of light by natural waters is strongly affected by the presence of suspended materials. Since the growth of aquatic plants is regulated by the intensity of sunlight, suspended sediments may be one of the most important factors influencing the productivity of a water body. Because suspended sediment inhibits sunlight penetration, water temperature may be affected by the concentration of sediment suspended in surface waters. Highly turbid lentic waters warm more rapidly than clearer waters, inducing pronounced thermal stratification early in the season which may persist for several months. Vertical mixing of lentic waters is inhibited by such warming of the surface layers reducing oxygen transfer to the underlying water. Consequently, the increasing turbidity could alter the temperature patterns and oxygen regimes of lakes and reservoirs thus creating unfavorable habitats for the endemic biota. Sediment deposition in flood plains damages valuable crops and croplands. The scouring action of streambed sediments damages and kills aquatic organisms, both plant and animal, and destroys their habitats. The transport of sorbed pollutants by sediments is a major mechanism by which pesticides and nutrients enter and are dispersed in waterways. Chlorinated hydrocarbons, nutrient phosphates, and numerous other pollutants have a high affinity for clay particles which are easily transported to streams via wind and surface runoff. 80 ''“(7Z61 ‘OL61) SOSN :901n0s *yquow zed sueow ATTep wnutTxew ey} e1e BT qeq STy} UT ueATSs soentea {hep ied sjuewWeInsesu sr1om iO 9UO UO peseq suBoU ATtep e1e s9sn Aq peysttqnd SSnTPA,, 007‘ TT 009‘8 = 006 ‘ZT 006‘Z Ose ‘s 006 ‘+ tequezdes 0z6‘E 000‘ST 02 008 ‘€Z 000‘ZT oss ‘9 008 ‘4T asn3ny 006‘8 000‘TZ LT O17 ‘*T 000‘ #T 067 ‘€ 000‘ *T ATNL 978 00S ‘Zz 089 000*S 000°9 OOO‘EIT O00z‘E eune 006 007s 076 Ooze ‘€ 009‘ 4 Ovi ‘Z 009*9 sew OvL‘€ 000‘€T OOT ‘Zz O16‘S 000*Z ose *s 006‘8 Ttady 076 ‘Z 000‘ZT 0002 Ooze “4 007 ‘Ss O€0‘T Ov yoreW 07S *Z 00” ‘4 078 G99 00z “€ 0so‘€ 099 Azeniqeg 0z9°L 000‘€T 019 GSS OT” 0s8‘z 008 Azenuer OO0€ 000‘9 06 Z7Y O€6 L61 0OL‘T equeseq Z16 OO€ ‘I 99 PLT OS4 06L OLZ Le queAON 002 ‘ZT 008 ‘€ 6% OLZT O18 0z0‘€ Oz 4240390 69-8961 69-7961 69-8961 69-7961 69-8961 S9-796T 69-8961 S9-796I1 yqu0W *ztay ‘uoAueg puery *zTay ‘Aaiaq soe, yean SAeATY Use1y yejn Soost9 azPeeu ATe9su ABATY OperOToOD 3e APATY OpezoTo) qe AJIATY use1y AJVATY OpeLOTOD (‘1a7TT/3u ut pesseidxe aae senqeA TTY) SNOILVOOI GALOATAS LV ,SNOILVHINAONOD INAWIGHS CACNAdSAS XIIVG WAWIXVW "O07 ATAVL 81 ''Sediments produce direct detrimental effects to fish and their food organisms. The European Inland Fisheries Advisory Board (EIFAB) lists the following ways in which sediments may prove harmful to the fisheries of a lake or river (EIFAB 1965): (1) (2) (3) (4) (3) By acting directly on the fish swimming in water in which solids are suspended, and either killing them or reducing their growth rate, resistance to disease, etc. By preventing the successful development of fish eggs and larvae. By modifying natural movements and migrations of fish. By reducing the abundance of food available to the fish. By affecting the efficiency of methods for catching fish. With respect to chemically inert suspended solids and to waters that are otherwise satisfactory for the maintenance of freshwater fisheries, EIFAB (1965) reported: (1) (2) (3) (4) There is no evidence that concentrations of suspended solids less than 25 mg/liter have any harmful effects on fisheries. It should usually be possible to maintain good or moderate fisheries in waters which normally contain 25 to 80 mg/liter suspended solids. Other factors being equal, however, the yield of fish from such waters might be somewhat lower than those yielded by category (1) waters. Waters normally containing from 80 to 400 mg/liter suspended solids are unlikely to support good freshwater fisheries, although fisheries may sometimes be found at the lower concentrations within this range. At the best, only poor fisheries are likely to be found in waters which normally contain more than 400 mg/liter suspended solids. Based on the findings of the EIFAB (1965), NAS (1973) established the following criteria for the protection of aquatic communities: Suspended Sediments High level of protection 25 mg/liter Moderate level of protection 80 mg/liter Low level of protection 400 mg/liter Very low level of protection over 400 mg/liter NAS (1973) also established maximum concentrations of suspended sediments in waters used for a variety of industrial purposes. In general, industrial uses of freshwaters are not impaired unless suspended solids concentrations 82 '' exceed 1,000 mg/liter. Concentrations as high as 15,000 mg/liter are the maximum acceptable levels for boiler and cooling makeup water. Maximum suspended sediment concentrations in the Green and Colorado Rivers exceeded the least restrictive water quality criteria limits for aquatic life nearly every month of the year. DISSOLVED OXYGEN Sources of Oxygen and Causes of Depletion Dissolved oxygen in surface waters is derived from two principal sources: (1) from the atmosphere directly by diffusion at the surface and through surface water agitation, and (2) from photosynthetic activity of chlorophyll-bearing plants (Welch 1952). Ground water and surface runoff may at times contribute substantially to the oxygen content of streams, particularly if the subsurface flow is over broken rocks shortly before reaching the surface and if overland runoff is rapid and vigorous (Reid 1961). However, since ground water is frequently low in dissolved oxygen content and since vigorous overland runoff is usually sporadic and coincident with intense rainfall, the former source may be more of a liability to the dissolved oxygen budget than an attribute, and the latter an unreliable source at best. In clear quiet waters the photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton and rooted vascular plants may be the primary source of oxygen during daylight hours (Welch 1952). During the night, an oxygen deficit may develop in such waters as diffusion from the atmosphere may be inadequate to replenish the oxygen consumed. Lentic waters exposed to wind action and turbulent flowing waters derive oxygen directly from the atmosphere, and, if the water is clear, through photosynthesis as well. In the near-shore wave Swept zones of lakes and in tortuous headwater stream reaches attached (lithophytic) algae may be the most significant photosynthetic producers of oxygen. Oxygen deficits rarely occur in clear, well-agitated waters. In fact the net production of oxygen in upstream reaches frequently contributes to the oxygen content in the more turbid, calmer downstream waters (Reid 1961). While a number of forces are functioning to provide oxygen, opposing factors tend to reduce the available oxygen supply, the following factors are of major significance in reducing the oxygen supply in surface waters: (1) Respiration of living organisms - Respiration of plants and animals is a continuing process which utilizes dissolved oxygen. The effects of respiration on oxygen supply are most conspicuous during the night when photosynthetic activity has ceased, thereby causing substantial diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen levels. 83 ''(2) Oxidation of organic matter - Bacterial action on oxidizable solids such as those in sewage creates a biological oxygen demand which may exceed the rate of oxygen replenishment resulting in a deficit in the oxygen budget some distance downstream from the source. As the oxygen deficit, which is cumulative, increases, uptake also increases at a rate proportional to the oxygen deficit (Hynes 1963). Consequently, as the amount of organic materials decrease, the rate of oxygen production exceeds that of consumption resulting in an increase in the oxygen level. (3) Temperature - The solubility of oxygen varies inversely with temperature. Consequently, raising the water temperature decreases the solubility of oxygen resulting in a loss of oxygen from the water. (4) Atmospheric pressure — Since the solubility of oxygen in water varies directly with atmospheric pressure, a reduction in pressure results in a decrease in dissolved oxygen concentrations. (5) Inorganic reactions - Certain inorganic reactions in lakes and streams, such as the oxidation of ferrous iron, sulfite and sulfides, may contribute to the immediate loss of oxygen. (6) Inflow of tributaries - The inflow of tributaries of low oxygen content tends to decrease the content of receiving waters. Tributaries receiving the bulk of their flow from springs and ground water seepage are of particular significance in this respect. Undoubtedly, organic loading to waterways and subsequent biological activity associated with the digestion of oxidizable materials are the most common causes of oxygen reduction in most surface waters. The oxygen demand exerted by a given volume of water is approximately proportional to the amount of oxidizable materials in the water. Consequently, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) tests are frequently used to estimate the requirements of a given water for oxygen or to quantitatively evaluate the pollution load (Hem 1970). The BOD test, however, is of limited value in measuring the oxygen demand of surface waters in which levels of oxygen-demanding organic substances are low. The extrapolation of test results to actual stream oxygen demands is highly questionable since the laboratory environment does not produce stream conditions (APHA 1971). Both the BOD and COD tests have their widest application in measuring waste loadings to treatment plants and to evaluate the efficiency of such plants. 84 ''In some instances a rough correlaation between BOD, COD, and total organic carbon (TOC) has been established (APHA 1971). When such an empirical relationship can be established the TOC determinations provide a speedy and convenient way of estimating the other parameters that express the degree of organic contamination (APHA 1971). Ambient Levels Dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, and the total organic carbon data compiled by USGS over recent years are summarized for selected Colorado, Green and White River stations (Table 41). Inspection of the dissolved oxygen data indicates these waters are generally well aerated as mean dissolved oxygen values equaled or exceeded 8.0 mg/liter at all sites. Since stress conditions for the biota are induced by short periods of oxygen deficiency, minimum values may be of greater significance than means with respect to fish populations and aquatic invertebrates. The minimum dissolved oxygen values recorded in the upper Colorado did not fall below 7.0 mg/liter, indicating an ample oxygen supply is available year round. On at least one occasion, however, total oxygen depletion was reported in the Green River at Green River, Utah. Minimum oxygen values of 5.3 mg/liter were recorded on the White River near Watson on at least one occasion, and mean values were substantially below those reported in the upper Colorado. Minimum and maximum and mean dissolved oxygen values in the lower Colorado Site at Lees Ferry were typically lower than those in the upper reaches at Cisco, Utah and Glenwood Springs, Colorado (Table 41). Chemical oxygen demand data were rather scarce with replicate analyses being reported at only 2 of the 8 sites selected as representative of the river system; one on the main stem of the lower Colorado below Parker Dam. The highest range of values was reported for the White River station with a maximum of 81.0 mg/liter recorded and on at least one occasion none was detectable. Total organic carbon data were available for six of the eight stations, but were based upon fewer analyses per station than the chemical oxygen demand data. Mean TOC values ranged from a low of 4.2 mg/liter in the lower Colorado to highs of 9.3 and 9.2 in the upper Colorado and Green Rivers, respectively. USGS/VTN data taken from WATSTORE® on the reach of the White River adjacent to tracts U-a/U-b suggest all three parameters are highly variable within an 18-mile stream reach (Table 42). Dissolved oxygen values ranged from 2.4 mg/liter at station S-4 to a high value of 15.0 mg/liter at station S-3. COD values ranged from a low of 0.0 mg/liter at stations S-1 and S-3, to a maximum of 200 mg/liter at station S-4. TOC values followed a similar pattern with values ranging from a low of 2.1 mg/liter at station S-l, to a high of 48 mg/liter reported at station S-4. @A USGS computerized WATer data STOR(E)age (WATSTORE) system. 85 '' °(9Z61) ‘LHYOLS BTA peatnboe ejep s9sn :e0Anosg *suoTjeAiesqo Jo iequNN = N 8°s O°T O°*7T 9 T°6 B°e€ 0°02 6 (*O°O°L) woqreD oTuesIQ Teo = = = * L°6 L£°6 L°6 T (*d°0°D) puewegd us3hxQ TeoTWDY) 0°38 0°9 8°6 4 7°6 0 9°€l FF uashxQ PeATosstq ues ulwu xeu WN ueeu ulu xeu N euOZTIV Ii9qJ see, yean ‘AeATY wseei5 3e AVATY Opeszoto) AesuU ASATY uwsed15 O°L T°€ O°v 9 €°6 L°€ O°9T S - - - - (*9°O°L) woqreD oTuesi9g TeIOL e°ST 0 O°I8 62 = = = - = - - - (*d°0°D) pueued ue8hx9 TeoTwey) 8°83 €°S O°ST 79 0°OT T°L C°VT ZY 9°6 O°L S*°@T GS ue3hxQ PeAToOsstg ueeu ulu xew QN ueeul ulu xeu N ueow uyu xem UN yeain S‘uoszeM ATesu ABVATY 3sATUM yein Soostg ie A®ATY Opezoto) ‘oTOD ‘ssutads poomueTy 3e IBATY OpezotTog (*293TT/3u ut pesseidxe ole suot}eiqUeDU0D TTY) 91-8961 GOTdad AHL ONTANC SYAALY OGVYOTOD GNV ALIHM ‘NATAD AHL NO SNOILVOOT GALOATAS LY CALYOdaY STAATT NOWAVO DINVDYO TIVLOL GNV GNVWHd NADAXO IVOIWAHD ‘NADAXO GHA TOSSIC NVAW CNV ‘WOWINIW “WAWIXVW “Ty ATaVL 86 ''“(9461) ‘THOLSLYM ‘YUeq e8e10js eIep peztTieqndwoy sOsN :991N0g§ *suoTjeAtesqo Jo JaqunN = N D S0°9 8° 8°8 9 L£°4T T°€ 0°87 S uoqie9 oTue3si¢9 TeIOL 6°ET O°T 0°07 62 7°O€ c 00 = 82 pueuwed ue3hxQ TeoTweyD ¢*8 Bre 6°IT oT T°8 7°? L°TT ST uea3hxQ PpeaTossta ueoul utw xeul N- ueow uTwW xeu N TI-S usem aTeyudsy y-S uodueg Wey Nos Or°L E*& aT 9 8°OT L°? 6€ S uoqie) aTuesI9C TeI OL 8°71 0 T8 62 L° EC 0 OvT 97 puewod ue3hxoQ TeorTMeUuD 80°6 4°9 O°ST 1Z 7°8 o°9 «TIT 4 uad4xo PeaTosstq ueeul uTw xeul N ueoul uUTU xeu UN €-S oT }eusyT T-s uodAue) eTOH STIOH (*193TT/3u ut pesseidxe e1e suotjeajueou0D TTy) 9/-¥/6I GOIMad AHL ONIUNG HVLIN SYAAIM ALIHM AHL NI GHLYOdaY SANTVA NOPAVD DINVOYO TVLOL GNV ‘GNVWHd NADAXO IVDIWSHO ‘NADAXO GHATOSSIG NVAW CONV ‘WOWINIW ‘WAWIXVN ‘7@Y FTAVL 87 ''Impact The consequences of exposure of fish and aquatic invertebrates to low oxygen levels have been the subject of numerous investigations. In-depth review of oxygen requirements of aquatic life have been presented by Duodoroff and Shumway (1967), Doudoroff and Warren (1962), Ellis (1937) and Fry (1960). One of the most comprehensive reviews was prepared by Douderoff and Shumway (1970) for the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The FAO recommendation, although slightly modified, served as a basis for NAS (1973) in developing dissolved oxygen water quality criteria for the protection of fish and aquatic life. The NAS approach to establishing dissolved oxygen water quality criteria for the protection of fish and aquatic life differs substantially from previous efforts by other investigators. Whereas previous water quality criteria recommended separate limits for the protection of warm water and rough fish (ORSANCO 1955), or warm water and cold water biota (NTAC 1968), the NAS document made no such distinction, but provides for various levels of protection to be afforded all aquatic life based upon socioeconomic decisions. It is the contention of NAS (1973) that there is no evidence to indicate the more sensitive warm water species have lower dissolved oxygen requirements than the more sensitive cold water fishes. It is acknowledged, however, that many warm water species are exceedingly tolerant of oxygen deficiency (NAS 1973). The NAS document also makes an assumption that the dissolved oxygen requirements of other aquatic communities are compatible with fish even though certain important invertebrates may be more sensitive to low dissolved oxygen than fish (Doudoroff and Shumway 1970). No single arbitrary recommendation can be set.for dissolved oxygen concentrations that will be favorable for all kinds of fish in all kinds of water or even a single kind of fish in a single water (NAS 1973). In light of these considerations, the NAS document offers a choice of four levels of protection to be afforded a given water body and fisheries depending on the degree of protection desired; namely maximum, high, moderate, or low. The selection document outlines the requirements of the species to be protected, natural seasonal minimal oxygen concentrations in the water body and corresponding temperatures of oxygen-saturated freshwater. A minimum value of 4.0 mg/liter is recommended, except for waters which have-a natural dissolved oxygen level of less than 4.0 mg/liter, in which case no further depression is desirable (NAS 1973). The 4.0 mg/liter minimum is selected because evidence indicates subacute or chronic damage to several fish may occur below this concentration (NAS 1973). Since waters of the Colorado River system differ dramatically in the types of fisheries they support, seasonal temperature maxima, and major uses, it would be beyond the scope of this report to review ambient dissolved oxygen levels in terms of the NAS water quality criteria described above. Anaerobic conditions have been reported in the Green River (Table 41) and minimum values below the 4.0 mg/liter recommended minimum have been reported at two of the White River stations near the leased tracts. Therefore, it is obvious that 88 ''stress conditions for a balanced fishery exist at times in the lower reaches of both streams. Further depression of oxygen levels could be induced by oil shale developmental activities and related industrial and urban development thereby further jeopardizing the aquatic biota in these areas. Any introduction of oxidizable materials, whether organic or inorganic, creates an additional oxygen demand through increased biological or chemical activity, or both. The primary potential sources of such materials would undoubtedly be municipal wastewater discharges, but industrial discharges and diffuse sources including ground water seepage also constitute a potential threat. Increased oxygen consumption through respiration and decomposition of aquatic biota may follow a general enrichment of localized stream reaches resulting from increased nutrient impact as discussed in the previous subsection. ACIDITY, ALKALINITY, pH, AND CARBON DIOXIDE Relationships and Causes of Variations Acidity and alkalinity are related terms. Acidity is produced by substances that yield hydrogen ions; alkalinity is produced by substances that produce hydroxyl ions (NTAC 1968). Acidity in natural waters is caused by carbon dioxide, mineral acids, weakly dissociated acids and the salts of strong acids and weak bases. Alkalinity is caused by strong bases and the salts of strong alkalies and weak acids (NTAC 1968). Determinations of pH provide an indication of acidity and alkalinity, but are not a direct measurement of either. Total acidity by definition is the amount of standard alkali required to bring the pH of a single sample to 8.3; total alkalinity is the amount of standard acid required to bring a sample to pH 4.5 (NTAC 1968). Since the titration points for both measurements are pH dependent, a relation between acidity, alkalinity and pH is apparent. Water with a pH below 4.5 has no measurable alkalinity and water with a pH greater than 8.3 has no measurable acidity (NTAC 1968). Water with a pH between these values may have both acidity and alkalinity. The pH of most natural waters usually falls in the 6.0-9.0 range. Under some circumstances pH values greatly outside this range may occur in natural waters. For example, Hutchinson (1957) mentions pH values as low as 1.7 reported in a volcanic lake and values of 12.0 in an effluentless alkaline lake. The pH of water receiving industrial wastes and mine drainage may be drastically altered by the addition of acids or alkalies. Such additions, particularly in poorly buffered systems, not only result in acidic or alkaline conditions, but may increase the toxicity of various components in the water (NAS 1973). In well-buffered systems the addition of small quantities of acids has little effect on the pH of the system. 89 ''The susceptibility of a given water to changes in pH values as a result of additions of acids and alkalies is a function of the buffering capacity of that water. The buffering capacity of freshwater in turn is dependent upon the bicarbonate content of the water (Ruttner 1953). Most running waters are bicarbonate waters in the limnological sense showing complicated relationships between pH, co2-, HCO; Ht, CO, H2C03, Ca2+ and Mg“+ (Hynes 1970). These relationships are distussed in detail by Ruttner (1953), Hutchinson (1957) and Reid (1961). For the purposes of this discussion it is sufficient to stress a few points summarized by Hynes (1970): 1) Rainwater reaching watercourses or runoff from bogs, dense forest litter and similar substrata tends to have a low pH due to the hydrogen ions produced by the dissociation of carbonic acid and the loss of cations by base exchange with organic matter. 2) Water which has percolated through the soil is also rich in carbon dioxide and similarly tends to be rich in hydrogen ions (H20 + C02 —-HyC03 Ht + HCO3)« 3) Calcium carbonate which is a common constituent of many rocks is almost insoluble in water, but it dissolves rapidly as bicarbonate in carbonic acid, and it neutralizes the soil where it occurs (CaCO3 + H2C03 — Ca(HC03)9 == Ca2t + 2HCO3). 4) Calcium bicarbonate in solution is a good buffer system and thus resists change in pH, but it remains in solution only in the presence of a certain amount of free carbon dioxide, the so called equilibrium CO9. Therefore, any process which removes carbon dioxide, as does photosynthesis, tends to precipitate calcium from solution, especially where the bicarbonate is abundant. Alkalinity in water is contributed by bicarbonates, carbonates and hydroxides. In most natural systems alkalinity is practically all produced by dissolved bicarbonates and carbonate ions. Any ion that enters into a chemical reaction with strong acid can contribute to titrated alkalinity provided the reaction takes place significantly above the pH of the specified end point (Hynes 1970). However, for the most part alkalinity is produced by anionic or molecular species of weak acids (primarily carbonic acid found when carbon dioxide is dissolved) which are not fully dissociated above a pH of 4.5 (Hynes 1970). Frequently alkalinity is expressed in terms of an equivalent quantity of calcium carbonate, and such terms as methyl-orange alkalinity, and phenol- phthalein alkalinity are encountered. Results obtained from these determinations can be used to stoichiometrically calculate relationships of these principal forms of alkalinity and ascribe the entire alkalinity to bicarbonates, carbonates and hydroxides. This classification Sys.en ignores alkalinity attributable to weak acids such as silics, phosphorous and boric acids which do contribute to titratable alkalinity. For a discussion of 90 ''alkalinity relationships the reader is referred to Hynes (1970) and Standard Methods (APHA 1971). It is common practice with the USGS to report alkalinity in terms of concentrations of bicarbonates since in most natural waters these anions produce practically all the alkalinity (Hem 1970). For additional details on units of reporting and relationships between pH, alkalinity, and various carbon dioxide species, the reader is referred to Hem (1970). Ambient Levels Since data on levels of bicarbonates and carbonates occurring at selected sites throughout the Colorado River system were presented and discussed under the salinity subsection of this report, they will not be repeated here. This portion presents pH data and, where available, data on the concentrations of free carbon dioxide at selected locations in the Colorado River system (Tables 43, 44). It should be borne in mind that carbon dioxide dissolved in such naturally circulating waters appears in chemical analyses principally as bicarbonate and carbonate ions (Hem 1970). It is also worth mentioning that the Colorado River System is a well-buffered bicarbonate system, which means that the addition of carbon dioxide to the system through respiration and decay will not usually lower the pH substantially as minerals which act as proton receptors are present in great abundance in the water. Impact The NAS Water Quality Criteria document prescribed numeric pH limits for most beneficial water uses (Table 45). Acidity and alkalinity limits were specified only for water designated as industrial supplies (Table 46). The most restrictive pH limits (6.5-8.3) are for waters used primarily for recreation and aesthetics or for those waters where a high level of protection for aquatic life is sought with pH limits of 6.5-8.5. The least restrictive limits are for specific industrial uses such as primary metals industries and make-up water for freshwater cooling systems with pH limits of 3.0-9.0 and 3.5-9.0 respectively. Since ambient levels within the Colorado River system generally do not fall below pH 6.5 or above pH 8.5, most water within the basin can be considered acceptable for most beneficial uses with respect to these parameters. Although Colorado River waters are fairly alkaline, they do not exceed the recommended limits prescribed (Table 46). Colorado River system waters contain suficient CO 9 to maintain equilibrium in the bicarbonate system. It is doubtful that oil shale developmental activities will substantially alter the buffering capacity of the system unless considerable quantities of acids are discharged to waterways. Substantial changes in pH or alkalinity (bicarbonate) levels would serve as an immediate alarm that the buffering system has been disturbed and the equilibrium upset, thereby signaling the need for intensive investigation to determine the cause of the disturbance. 91 ''“(vL6T SOL6T) SDSM 220AN0g *suotTjeAresqo Jo Aequnyn = N *poqwystom owt. eie senzea yd urs - 9°L 7°L 6°L él Brl 9°L O0°8 ZI BL G°L 0°8 el 69-896T B°L 7°L €°8 val B°Z G°*L O°8 ZT L°£ 9°L 6°L 61 G9-S96T ueow ultu xeu N uesou UrTW xeu QN ueoul uTu xeul N “ZTAV YB *zTay ‘weq teyxreg ‘AON SwWeq TeAOCOH *ztay ‘uofueg pueiry MOTEq *Y *OTO™D MOTeAq *Y *OTOD ie3u *Yy OperOToO) 6°L 7°L G°8 LI Bel €°L 7°88 64% 6°L c°L S°*8 9S 69-8961 9°L G*L 6°L 81 B°2 G°L S°8 @E B°L G°Z €°8 VE 69-796T ueol uTwW xeu N ueow uUTW xew N urou uTu xeul N *zTay ‘kiieq sooyT "In ‘°y uee19 "In S‘uosjeM 38 ABVATY oOpez0ojtog qe “y ueeI9g iesu *Yy oTUM BL T°L 7°8 14 9°L 9°9 T°8 LY 9°L L°9 7°8 LI 69-8961 67k S°9 6°L SZ B°2 c°Z 1°8 TE 9°L e°L 7°83 77 S9-796T ueoll urTW xeu N ueou uTWU xXew NN ueow uTu xeul gh “oAM So8regey, "In So0DST9 *‘OTOD ‘s8utids poomueTy aiesu *y useIy aesu *Yy "OTOD ivsu *y OpezoT[oO) 69-8961 GNV S9-7961T DONTUNG SNOILVOOT CALOATAS LV UALVM ADVAUNS NISVA UAAIN OCVHOTOD NI GHLYOdTa SANTVA pad NVAW GNV SHONVE ‘“€47 AIAVL 92 ''“(SL6T) ‘s320day ATAeqIeNd yYICG pue yy NIA :a0IN0s *suofzBAIasqo Jo JequNN = N, I'y 6°r z°8 E> 0 O'LT 9 €°€ ZT O01 9 Stl 970 €'2 9 SZ Sny - cZ Key 82 «OTL 7z°8 ce ZT 9°S II 9% Stl Oth 4 ove TTT £°9° ON ci Kew - of Sn :"99 6°L OTL ER I's ZL 8°89 T's ol 98 9 es o8 9'8 9 $Z any —- cz Kem €*8 92 9°8 ZS) tL «S*8 «CIT ZS «6°L (9°8 OT ze 0 8tk SSBC ¢Z ady - 91 Bay :H ueow uya xeu usou uzTW xeu N ueou uyu xeu N uvou uTw xeu oN %-§ uokueg Wey INOS €-§ OF jeUs] T-§ uokue) 8109 STIOH (*203F7/3u uz pesseidxe oie santea SZ6T LSNOSNV °F ¥Z26T LISNONV 4-N/¥-N SLOVUL GASVAT OL INAOV’dV UAAIU ALIHM AHL NI SANTVA é “00 TIV) OO GNV Hd NVAW GNV SHONVY ‘YY AIGVL 93 ''“(€ZL61) SVN Wols peTJTpoW ze01n0g ‘uUNWTUTW pue WNUTXeu TeUuOSeeS TeAN}eU pojeUTJSe sy} epTsjNo saZueyo of] siezoey Hdy,, *sqoesje [Nywrey JOeATpuT auTUAeJep OF Usye} ST 91ed JI eTgesn eq ptnoys e8uer Sty} uy Hd @ YITM 1eqeM 0°6 - GS°Y uot jesTsz4y uot 39930Ig JO [eAeT uNUTxeW ATIPAN situn ¢°Q0 > Hdy <¢*g -¢°9 uo 9e301g JO TaAeT] Y3TH situn ¢*Q0 > HdV 0°6 - 0°9 uoT}9E30I1g JO Tadd] ae1IpPOW s3tun o°T > Hdy 0°6 - 0°9 uOFI99301g JO TeAST MOT sqtun ¢'T > padv C°6 - G°S @sJTT OTQIenby settddns 0°6 - O°S 197eM ITFTANd siojeM pertszjgng AT100g 0°6 -O0°S SOTJOUISeV sio}eM soy €°8 - ¢°9 Q UOTIeIIIIY Ss UsUUOD JIUWT]T pepusuuodsy asp z37eM SUALVM ZOVANNS JO SASN IVIOIAANAG CALVNOISAC YOA VINYALINO ALITVNO UALVM Hd CaCNAWNOOTY “Gy ATaVE 94 ''*(€Z61) SVN :994N0s * W/34 = ZI°€OL X e3nes3 yout eienbs saad spunod | z on6 = '0°E 0°6 - 0°9 0°6 = S°S w"6 = O°" 0°6 - O'S 0°8 - 0°9 Hd 61 _ i = = - AVEPTOV 007 00s 00s = - - AIJUTTEATY Aa}snpuy Aajsnpuy wnelorjag Aaysnpul TeoyweyD Aaysnpuy Aajysnpuy iequny AaYsnpul eT FIxXe]L sjTeqe_ Arewtig aedeg 9 ding 1eqeM Ssse00ig G9 < S°’e -€ L°It < T*6: - 'S*E 6°8 - O°S = = Hd - - - 00z 0 0001 0001 (9080) AATPTOV - - Sty 00s 00s vos 00s (090) AVFUTTEXTV 1938 uofz antos sS9001g 3tsq potsd YyoweyT 102e1QUeDU0D aToA004y ysnoiu3 = Q00S 93 0S 00ST 92 0 i93eM uoTIeMIOY areddog sng dnoyey 20u0 AVFTTIA Tetazqsnpuy aajemM uotTqoefuy AraAODaYy TTO Aaysnpuy suyurp (yseig) 1383eM suTTOOD 1ojeM dnexey 1eTTog SaSOd¥Nd TWIYLSNGNI SNOIYVA YOs CASA Ad OL UALVM YOd Hd GNV ‘ALIGIOV ‘ALINITVYIV YOd SLIWIT GHCNAWNOOTY WAWIXVN “94 F1AVL 95 ''5. RECOMMENDED WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL It is convenient to think of water quality parameters as belonging to one of two broad categories; i.e., (1) specific constituents, or (2) indicator parameters. The first category is comprised of those constituents which in themselves are potential pollutants and are directly measurable in waters. This group is represented by substances identified as components of raw or retorted oil shale, overburden, ground waters, industrial or urban wastes, etc., which may be subject to mobilization and release to surface waters. Examples of parameters in this group include dissolved, suspended and settleable residues, both inorganic and organic; radioactive isotopes; specific cations and anions; pesticides; and oil and grease. The second category includes those parameters which in themselves are not pollutants, but whose measurements provide a direct or indirect measure of pollution or environmental disturbance or are required for the interpretation of other water quality data. Examples of parameters in this group include dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, hardness, alkalinity, turbidity, temperature and volume of flow (discharge). As a means of identifying and prioritizing those parameters most appropriate for monitoring, each potential pollutant addressed in Section 3 of the text was incorporated into a matrix (Table 47) and evaluated in terms of the projected impact on ambient water quality with respect to beneficial water use criteria. Also included in the matrix are those "indicator parameters" whose ambient levels are a function or product of pollution or environmental disturbance, or whose measurements are required for purposes of interpreting water quality data. The matrix provides the mechanism for the selection and prioritization of parameters for monitoring in the following manner: Each parameter addressed in the text is listed on the Y axis under a heading corresponding to the subsection heading in which it appeared in Section 3 of the text. The X axis of the matrix is coded to seven water quality statements, any of which singly, or in combination with certain others, may describe a given parameter as it relates to ambient and projected water quality in the Colorado River System with respect to specific beneficial water-use criteria recommendations®. If a @Al11 recommendations except those for radioactive substances are based on NAS (1973). Radioactivity criteria are based on USEPA (1976b) Drinking Water Regulations. 96 ''particular statement applies to a given parameter, a symbol keyed to a specific beneficial water use is entered in the appropriate column. Parameters described by statements 1, 2, or 3 for a particular water use are categorized as "A" priority parameters. Those described by statements 4 and 5 are "B" priority parameters, and those described by statements 6 and 7 are "C" priority parameters. The choices of water quality statements offered for each parameter and the code number identifying each statement used in the matrix (Table 47) are categorized by priority as follows: Code No. Water Quality Statement Priority "A" Parameters 1. Those parameters which have been reported in surface waters of the Colorado River Basin at levels equaling or exceeding acceptable limits with respect to beneficial water uses, and whose ambient levels in surface waters are likely to be altered by activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry to the point where further impairment of beneficial water uses will result; or 2. those parameters for which water quality criteria must be established for particular receiving waters based on tolerance levels of important, sensitive species in those waters, and whose ambient levels in receiving waters are likely to be altered by activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry to the point where the biota may be adversely impacted; or 3. those parameters whose measurements are essential for purposes of interpreting other water quality data. Code No. Water Quality Statement Priority "B" Parameters 4. Those parameters whose reported levels in the Colorado River Basin are within acceptable limits with respect to beneficial water uses, but whose ambient levels in surface water could be altered by activities associated with the development and operation of the oil shale industry to the point where impairment of beneficial water uses may result; or 5. those parameters for which no water quality criteria are established with respect to ambient levels and beneficial water uses indicated, 97 ''but the significance of the parameter in the aquatic environment is recognized and discussed, and whose ambient levels in surface waters could be altered by activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry to the point where impairment of beneficial water uses may result. Code No. Water Quality Statement Priority "C" Parameters 6. Those parameters for which water quality criteria were not established, nor was the significance of the parameter discussed in terms of beneficial use criteria, but whose ambient levels in surface waters could be altered by activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry with unknown consequences for the beneficial water uses indicated; or Te those parameters for which adequate surface water quality data are unavailable to characterize ambient levels in the Colorado River Basin, but which have been identified as potential pollutants subject to release to surface waters by activities associated with the development and operation of an oil shale industry. The symbols used in the matrix (Table 47) for identifying water quality criteria recommendations for beneficial water uses are as follows: Symbol Beneficial Water Uses = Irrigation Agriculture Livestock Drinking Drinking Water (public water supplies) = Industrial Uses = Aquatic Life and Wildlife = Statement Applies to Parameter in Question xP Sorw Physical and chemical parameters recommended for monitoring are summarized by priority category "A", "B" and "C" (Tables 48, 49, and 50). The form of each recommended parameter is based upon the available knowledge of activities and fates of pollutants in the aquatic environments. Priority "A" parameters require intensive monitoring because: (1) very slight changes in their ambient levels would render water unacceptable for specified designated beneficial water uses; (2) changes in ambient levels would be indicative of potentially deleterious changes in water quality 98 ''‘untssejod sn—td wntpos (penut uo) ) @pNTOUT sesn JejeM TBTAISNpUT AOJ eTIsITI9 TeoTAeUNN = T‘v‘a I = = = M (201s) eoTTTS (Soon) “ 1 a‘v‘I < - - M sojeuoqieotg ‘ « « € = TI aq Mv - - = - (“00) seqeuogie) = 1 VI = = = ‘a (TD) sePFACTYD = 1 v‘I M - - a (70s) sazejstns _ 1a vl M = - - (80) wntoTe9 = 1*d V‘I - - - M (3) wnTsousey _ Tq v1 _ _ = wf! (3) wntssejog = 1 via‘ = - - Hl (eN) wntpog (SGL) SPFTOS - ~ a 1 = V MST peaTossTq TeIOL AqTUTTeS L 9 G v7 € Z T Jejoueleg 410890389 weTqoig nou AVTIOT Ag ada AVTIOTAg iva ARTAOTIAg SYHaWNN 4daod (*sToquds pue sioquny apop Jo uotTjzeueTdxg ue 103 86 03 96 seBeg 92S) ALITVNO YALVM HOVAUNS NO LNAWdOTAAAC ATVHS TIO JO LOVdWI AZHL ONIYOLINOW YOd SUYALANVEVd dO NOILVZILINOTYd “LY ATAVL 99 ''(penutjuo)) = M = v‘a‘T‘I - - - (po) wntupeg xX V‘M‘aSTSI es - - - - (4g) eutTwo1g - M‘YV a 1 - - I (q) uor0g xX V°M‘aSTSI = - - - - (ta) yanustg = vim‘a " I - - = (eq) wnt TTs10g = VMS TST = a - - - (eq) wntieg = MSV - a‘ T‘I - - - (sy) oTuesay xX VSMSaSTSI - - - - - (qs) AuowTtjuy a - = = V T°M'I (Tv) whurunty sjUuewe Ty aoeIl = 1 via‘ = - - M ssoupiey = MSTS¥‘a - - - - I AATATIONpuo| AITUTTeS L 9 G 0 € Z T Jeajoweieg 41030389 weTqoig wu TEA0F 4d udu A}TAOTAg uVus AITAOTIg SaHaWAN Adood (*uo9) (*sToqu&g pue siequny epog jo uoTjeueTdxg ue toy g6 02 96 SeBeg eeS) ALITVNO UALVM AOVANNS NO LNANdOTAATC ATVHS TIO AO LOVdWI AHL ONIMOLINOW YOd SUALAWVUVd JO NOILVZILINOIYd “Ly ATAVL 100 ''(penutjuo)) vin‘asT*I - - - - - (89) wntuew1ey - v*n‘aStst - - ~ - - (e9) wntTTe9 x ovin*a®T*1 - - - = - (PD) wntTutTTopey - Vv 7 M‘aST 5 - I (4) septizontg xX VMAS TST ~ - ~ - - (nq) wntdoang xX VWSMSaS TSI - - - - - (aq) wntqaq xX V‘MSaSTSI - - - - - (4a) wntsoidskq - - = MSaST “= Vv 7 (nj) azeddog = M6v‘a - 1s - - - (09) 3TeBqGQoO9 = M = Va‘ TSI - - - (49) wnqtwo1ry9 xX VSMSaSTSI - - - - = (so) wntse9 xX V°MSASTSI - - - - - 29) wntira9 squewe Ty arly L 9 S 0 € Z T Jojyoueleg 4108939 weTqoig Oy APFLOFIG 8, ABFIOTIG uV,, A3FI0TIg SYHaWNN AdOo (*u0D) (*sToquds pue sioquny epog Jo uoT}eueTdxy ue 10J 86 02 96 sSeSseg eeS) ALITVOO YALVM AOVAINS NO INHNdOTHAXC HTVHS TIO dO LOVdWI AHL ONIYOLINOW YOA SUALAWVUVd JO NOILVZILINOINd “Ly AIAVI 101 ''(penutjquo)) _ “MST _ at = Vv (3H) Aarnoiey = Vv a if - ‘mSa (Uy) ssouRsuey xX V‘MSaSTSI - - = - (NT) wntze4NT - vin‘aed = I - = (FI) wnTYyITT = M - I*1 = ‘v‘a (dd) Peel xX vV‘M‘aS TSI - - - - (eT) wnueyquey - Vv 1 I = ‘a (84) woz xX V'MSaSTSI - - - - (41) wntpTal xX VW°M‘aS TST - ~ ~ - (1) 2eUTpoT xX VSM‘aS TSI - - - - (oH) wntuT oH xX V‘M‘aSTSI - - - - (JH) untuyey xX V'M‘aS TSI - - - - (ny) pPTo9 sjuewe Ty ori L 9 G 2 Z T Jojowueleg k10893e9 weTqoig wu A}PAOT Id nda AATIOF Ig wii AVTIOTIAg SYaaqWnNn Adoo (*uog) (*sToqus pue szequny epop jo uoTieueTdxg ue 1oy g6 02 96 se3eq 99S) ALITVNO YALVM qOVANAS NO LNANdOTHARC ATIVHS I10 dO LOVdNI AHL ONIYOLINOW YOd SHALANVAVd AO NOILVZILIMOINd °LY AIAVL 102 ''(penutjuo9) X VSMSaS TSI - V‘mM‘aS TSI x ¥Weata*Tt X VimMSaS TSI xX V‘MSaS TSI xX VW'mMSaS TSI xX V'MSaS TSI xX V'm‘sas TSI xX VmMSaS TSI - MSast xX VSMSaS TSI - MSa‘tyv (ny) wntTueYy Ny (qa) wntprqny (4a) wntTpoyYy (ea) wnfusyy (4d) wntudposseig (3d) wnutieTd (Pd) wntpeTTed (so) wntuso¢ (4N) WNTqOTN (EN) T®4OTN (PN) wntwkpoon (OW) wnuepghTon squeueTy soery l 9 aa Sati1OFig c Aqta uV,, A3tt0T Ig SYaaqWnN Adoo Jejoweieg 4108939 wet qoig (‘uo9) (*sToquds pue sdaquny epog jo uotjeuvtdxg ue toy 86 07 96 sa3eg aas) HOVANNS NO LNANdOTHAAC ATVHS TIO 40 LOVdWI AHL ONIYOLINOW YOA SUALAWVAVd AO NOLLVZILIMOIYd ALITIvNO UALVM “LY ATEVL 103 ''(penut uo) ) - VSmMSaStT I - ~ (us) UTZ X WMSaS TSI —~ - - (YL) wnTa0yL X WM‘aS TST - - = (FL) wnTTTeUL xX V‘M‘SaSTSI ~ - - (qL) wntqiay xX V°M‘aSTSI - - - (®L) wntTanTTez X V°M‘aS TST - - - (2L) wnt Zeuyoay xX V°M‘SASTSI - - - (81) wnTequez xX V‘M‘SaS TSI - ~ - (4s) wntju0135 VMS TSI a - - (8y) teaTTs = M‘V = a‘ TSI - (8S) wntuetes X VMAS TSI = = - (2s) wntpuess xX V°M*aS TST - - - (ws) wntaeues sqUsue TA aoely L 9 S 7 Z Jajoueieg £10393) weTqoig wu AqypIoT Ag ud A}FIOT Id uVu AITI0T Ig SaaaqWnNn Ado (*u0D) (*sToquds pue siequny epog jo uot eueTdxg ue 103 86 02 96 se3eg 92S) ALITVNO UALVM HOVANNS NO LNANdOTSARC ATVHS TIO AO LOVdNI AHL ONIMOLINOW YOd SUALANVUVd JO NOILVZILINOINd ‘*Ly AIGVL 104 ''(penutjuo)) *ZuTyoeT o1e ejep AqtTenb tz9jem Quetque nq PeystTqe3se ete PF19IFIO YOTYM AOFZ Sasn 19}BM BSOY. 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ATAVL 106 ''(penutjuo9) X VWSMSaS TSI (ddl) snioydsoyg - PeATOSSTG TeI0] (LOL - d) - MSTSI v‘a - - ™ snioydsoyg TeIOL (N - TeI0L) i I‘M*aST V - - = ue3Z0I13IN TPO] (N - 27ue310) xX VMSA TSI - - - - oTues 309 (N - TuepTe fy) xX V‘SM‘aS TSI - - - - Tuepte ly (x - ©HN) - I*T = M‘a - Vv eTuoWUY (x - Son) es MS1‘V - 1‘a - - No — S2T27 EN (x - ©on) = - I‘V 1 - Mfa N - 238131N sjuUeTIAINN L 9 S 9 Zz T Jajoweieg 4103999 weTqoig uO, AIFLOTIg u@, AIFIOTIg uV,, AITIOTIg SYaaWAN aqod (*u0D) (*sToquds pue siequny epop jo uot jeueTdxg ue 10J 86 02 96 saBeg 9eS) ALITVNO YALVM AOVAUNS NO INANdOTAAAC AIVAHS TIO AO LOVAWI AHL ONIMOLINOW YOA SUALANVUVd AO NOILVZILINOINd °Ly FIAVL 107 ''(penutjuop9) (89261) VdaSN ed1Nos , *pessnosTp Jou vie sosn UoOTIeSTAAL pue yOoIsSeATT ‘eanqtnoTsase Sagt{T oTQenbe ‘Sar0j -91904] *(€L6T) SVN UeyW ADyIeA psesn vie s9ptTonNuotTpeirz Aoj suotj}e[nse1 19}78M SuTyUutT Ig (949Z6T) Vda "S*n, - - - a - - - wNTIFAL - - - a - - - 06 ‘6g-wNTIU0IIS X q ~ - - - - goT-untusyany - ~ - a - - - 82Z *97Z7—UNTpeYy - a - = = “ - 6€2 ‘g€z-wNTuo INT - a - - ~ ~ - LET-wntse9 X a ~ - - - - yyT-unT 199 - = - a < = -_ eqeq ssoiy = = = a = - - eudqty ssoi9g a (poo PETOnNO Ped Ll 9 ¢ 9 € Z T Jejeweleg 41030389 weTqoig wy, AIPLOTIg ud, AIFLOTId uV,, AFFLOTAd SYddWAN AGOD (*u09) (*sToquds pue siaequny epopg jo uoTjeuetTdxg ue oJ 96 OF 96 Seseg 22S) ALITVNO YALVM AOVANNS NO LNANdOTAARC AIVHS ‘TIO AO LOVdWI AHL ONIYOLINOW YOd SYALANVAVd JO NOILVZILIYOINd ‘*LY ATAVL 108 ''(penutjuo9) (a‘v)x a T"T - - - - - AOToO) = MSTSI a - - - V Aqtptqany - a‘T I = “2 = MSV SPTTOS pepuedsns - MSTSaST V - - ~ - s]ueuTpes pequesi3s sjusuTpes = T a°t M - - Vv aanjersduey, uoTIeIIITV ‘ gainjeredusy, seoueqsqns (V¥)X MSIS1%a - - - - = eTqeqoel3 xy auexey X MSI‘ T‘d - - - Vv - TTtO peTsTsTnuy X M°IST - = - - a‘v THO ®TIFSTA aseoiy pue TTO L 9 G “v € Z T Jo joueleg 410389389) weTqoig “9 Kataotig gq, Aqtaiotig uy, 4FFLOFIAd u@,, AIFLOTIg uV,, A3FI10F Id SaaaqWAN Adoo (*uo9) (*SsToqudgs pue saiequny epog jo uot euetTdxqg ue 103 86 073 96 saBeg 22S) ALITVND UALVM HOVANNS NO LNAWdOTSARC ATIVHS TIO AO LOVdWI AHL ONTYOLINOW YOd SUHALAWVUVd JO NOTLVZILTXOTad “Ly A1EVL 109 ''(penutquog) (M)X Ta ‘Vv XxX VSMSaS TST - - c uVis AlTioT ig - V*°M‘aS TST = - - a‘i‘v I - X a‘m‘1°yV I aa = MS TSI a = ss - VW'm‘aS TSI - L 9 c 4 uO, AIFLOTIg ud, AIFIOTIg SYAaWAN 4doo (*u09) (*sToqus pue saequny apog JO uot eueTdxg ue IOF 86 01 96 sa3eg 29S) ALITVNO YALVM AOVAINS NO INANdOTZAAG ATVHS TIO JO LOVANI AHL ONIYOLINOW YO SUALANVUVd AO NOILVZILINOIYAa AVTPToOy (Te30L) AITUTTeyTY AVTUTTeYXTV (90d) Uwoqied oTUeSIO peATosstg (90L) uoqgazed oTue8iO TeIOL (dod) puewep ua3hxo TeoTWSY) (dog) puewep ueshxo [eoTMeYydOTY (oa) uaskxo peATosstq us3h{xg SUNTOA 1T3a7eEM UOTIEOTIT POW oTydea30i1pAy Je jowe1eg 4103939 wetTqoig “LY ATEVL 110 '' ~ ~ - = xX = ainjeiedusy ~ ~ - - xX = sUNTOA 197eM siejoweieg BATIeVeAdI9RUT - m*I‘ 1a Vv 7 - - (209) @prxoTp uoqie) - TSI a‘m‘y - - - (09) seqeuoqgie) - T a‘v‘I = = = (f00H) so }eucgieoT”, = - - aasvS TST - = ud AVTUTTEAXTV L 9 S 0 € z Jejzeueieg 41039389 =. weTqoig won 3FAOTAd aes AQTAOF Ig avix AQTIOTIg SYAaWNN AdoOO (*uog) (*sToquds pue saequny epog jo uot jeueTdxg ue AoJ 86 OF 96 sa3egq 92S) ' ALITVNO UALVM aOVANNS NO INAWdOTHARC ATVHS TIO 4O LOVdWI AHL ONIYOLINOW YOA SUALAWNVAVd JO NOILVZILTHOLdd “Ly ATIVL 111 ''characteristics; or (3) data are required for the interpretation of other water quality data. Priority "B" parameters require routine monitoring of a lower intensity than that for those parameters in the priority "A" category because slight changes in ambient levels can be tolerated without exceeding established limits for designated beneficial water uses. The measurement of parameters in this category should be in addition to those in the priority "A" category, but at reduced frequencies. Priority "C" parameters require periodic monitoring in addition to those in the "A" and "B" categories to characterize water quality with respect to ambient levels of particular constituents and designated beneficial water uses. BIOLOGICAL Significance of Biological Monitoring Biological monitoring has long been recognized as an effective tool for evaluating the stability and environmental quality of ecosystems. Biological investigations are of special significance in water quality monitoring programs because they offer a means of rapidly identifying areas affected by pollution and for assessing the degree of stress for a relatively small investment. In terms of time and money invested, biological monitoring in many situations provides one of the most efficient approaches in evaluating the nature and extent of pollution-related disturbances in aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic organisms act as natural monitors of water quality in that they respond in a measurable and predictable manner to stress induced by most types of pollution. Since the composition and structure of aquatic plant and animal communities are the result of all biological, chemical and physical interactions within the system, communities reflect the summation of all internal and external influences impacting the system including antagonistic and synergistic actions. Macrobenthic invertebrates are particularly useful natural monitors of environmental quality in lakes and streams because of their sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions, their stationary nature, and the relative ease with which they are sampled. Since macroinvertebrates as a group are relatively immobile, they cannot seek relief from unfavorable conditions even of short duration. Consequently, the more sensitive members of a community are unable to successfully inhabit an area subjected to continuous or even intermittent pollution input or other disturbances. This results in colonization by the more tolerant or opportunistic forms, which, in the absence of competition and predation from more sensitive forms, may completely dominate the community. Since aquatic organisms serve as continuous monitors of the environment, they sometimes provide information which is not obtained by direct measure- ments of water quality. Pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides tend 112 ''TABLE 48. PRIORITY "A" CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS Parameters Constituent Reported Units Aluminum Aluminum (Al), dissolved z ug/liter Aluminum (Al), total recoverable ug/liter Ammonia Nitrogen Ammonia (NH, - N) mg/liter Bicarbonates Bicarbonate ion (HCO) mg/liter Boron, dissolved Boron (B), dissolved ug/liter Chlorides, dissolved Chloride ion (Cl), dissolved mg/liter Conductivity Specific Conductance umhos /cm at 25° C Copper Copper ion (Cu), dissolved ug/liter Copper (Cu), total recoverable ug/liter Cyanides Cyanide (CN), total recoverable mg/liter Fluorides Fluoride (F), dissolved mg/liter Hardness Hardness, total as Caco, mg/liter Iron Iron ion (Fe), dissolved ug/liter Iron (Fe), total recoverable ug/liter Lead Lead ion (Pb), dissolved a ug/liter Lead (Pb), total recoverable ug/liter Magnesium Magnesium ion (Mg), dissolved mg/liter Magnesium (Mg), total recoverable mg/liter Manganese Manganese ion (Mn), dissolved ug/liter Manganese (Mn), total recoverable ug/liter Mercury, total Mercury (Hg), total recoverable” ug/liter Molybdenum, dissolved Molybdenum ion (Mo), dissolved ug/liter “To be measured in streambed sediments also (g/kg). (Continued) 113 ''TABLE 48. SURFACE WATERS (Continued) PRIORITY "A" CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN Parameters Constituent Reported Units Nickel, dissolved Nickel ion (Ni), dissolved ug/liter Nitrogen, Nitrate Nitrate Nitrogen (NO, - N) mg/liter Oil and Grease Visible Oil Severity Emulsified Oils mg/liter Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen mg/liter Oxygen demand, Chemical Chemical Oxygen demand (COD) mg/liter Pesticides Organochlorine Pesticides” ug/liter Phenols Phenolics ug/liter Potassium, dissolved Potassium ion (K), dissolved mg/liter Sodium, dissolved Sodium ion (Na), dissolved mg/liter Silica Silica, dissolved (Sio,) mg/liter Silica, total (Sio,) mg/liter Solids, dissolved Total dissolved (filtrable) residue mg/liter Fixed dissolved (filtrable) residue mg/liter Solids, suspended Total suspended (non-filtrable) residue mg/liter Fixed suspended (non-filtrable) residue mg/liter Sulfates, dissolved Sulfate ion (SO,), dissolved mg/liter Temperature Temperature “0 Turbidity Turbidity nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) Prnpiies to specific organochlorine pesticides as discussed in Section 3 of the text. (Continued) 114 ''TABLE 48. PRIORITY "A" CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS (Continued) Parameters Constituent Reported Units 3 Water Volume Discharge m /sec Zinc Zinc ion (Zn), dissolved ug/liter Zine (Zn), total recoverable ug/liter 115 ''TABLE 49. PRIORITY "B'' CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS Parameters Constituent Reported Units Acidity, total Acidity, total as Caco, mg/liter Alkalinity, total Alkalinity, total as Caco, mg/liter Alpha, gross Total Alpha Activity pCi/liter Arsenic Arsenic ion (As), dissolved ug/liter Arsenic (As), total recoverable ug/liter Barium, dissolved Barium ion (Ba), dissolved ug/liter Beryllium, dissolved Beryllium ion (Be), dissolved ug/liter Beta, gross Total Beta Activity pCi/liter Cadmium Cadmium ion (Cd), dissolved ug/liter Cadmium (Cd), total recoverable ug/liter Calcium Calcium ion (Ca), dissolved mg/liter Calcium (Ca), total recoverable mg/liter Carbonates Carbonate ion (cO.,) mg/liter Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (CO,), dissolved ug/liter Chromium Chromium ion (cr), dissolved ug/liter Chromium (Cr), total recoverable ug/liter Cobalt, dissolved Cobalt ion (Co), dissolved ug/liter Lithium, dissolved Lithium ion (Li), dissolved ug/liter Nitrogen, Nitrite Nitrite Nitrogen (NO, - N) mg/liter Nitrogen, total Total Nitrogen (N) mg/liter 279 be measured in streambed sediments also (ug/kg). PB oth trivalent and trivalent plus hexavalent forms should be measured. (Continued) 116 ''TABLE 49. SURFACE WATERS (Continued) PRIORITY "B'" CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN Parameters Constituent Reported Units Oxygen demand, biochemical Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) mg/liter Pesticides Or ganophosphate pesticides™ ° ug/liter Phosphorus, total Total phosphorus (P-Total) mg/liter Phthalate esters Total phthalate esters ug/liter pH pH Standard Units Polychlorinated Biphenyls Total polychlorinated biphenyls ug/liter Radium 226, 228 Radium 226, 228, dissolved pCi/liter Radium 226, 228, total pCi/liter Sediments, streambed Streambed sediments - Selenium Selenium ion (Se), dissolved ug/liter Selenium (Se), total recoverable ug/liter Silver Silver ion (Ag), dissolved ug/liter Silver (Ag), total recoverable ug/liter Strontium 89, 90 Strontium 89, 90, dissolved pCi/liter Strontium 89, 90, total pCi/liter Tin Tin (Sn), total ug/liter Titanium Titanium (Ti), total ug/liter Tungsten Tungsten ion (W), dissolved ug/liter Tungsten (W), total ug/liter Tritium Tritium in water molecules Hydrogen” units Tritium, dissolved pCi/liter Tritium, total pCi/liter Vanadium, total Vanadium (V), total recoverable ug/liter “applies only to specific organophosphate pesticides as discussed in Section 3 of the text. 117 ''TABLE 50. SURFACE WATERS PRIORITY "C'' CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN Parameters Constituent Reported Units Antimony Antimony ion (Sb), dissolved mg/liter Antimony (Sb), total mg/liter Bismuth Bismuth ion (Bi), dissolved ug/liter Bismuth (Bi), total ug/liter Bromine Bromine (Br) mg/liter Bromide ion (Br), dissolved mg/liter Carbon Organic Carbon, dissolved mg/liter Organic Carbon, total mg/liter Cerium Cerium ion (Ce), dissolved ug/liter Cerium (Ce), total ug/liter Cerium 144 Cerium 144, total pCi/liter Cesium Cesium ion (Cs), dissolved ug/liter Cesium (Cs), total ug/liter Cesium 137 Cesium 137, dissolved pCci/liter Cesium 137, total pCi/liter Chlorine Residual chlorine (Cl), total mg/liter Color True Color (Platinum Cobalt Units) PCU Detergent builders LAS, total mg/liter linear alkylate sulfonates (LAS ) Dysprosium Dysprosium (Dy), total ug/liter Erbium Erbium (Er), total ug/liter Europium Europium, (Eu), total ug/liter Gadolinium Gadolinium (Gd), total ug/liter Gallium Gallium ion (Ga), dissolved ug/liter Gallium (Ga), total ug/liter (Continued) 118 ''TABLE 50. PRIORITY "'C'' CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS (Continued) Parameters Constituent Reported Units Germanium Germanium ion (Ge), dissolved ug/liter Germanium (Ge), total ug/liter Gold Gold (Au), total ug/liter Hafnium Hafnium (Ha), total ug/liter Holmium Holmium (Ho), total ug/liter Iodine Iodine ion (I), dissolved mg/liter Tridium Iridium (Ir), total ug/liter Lanthanum Lanthanum ion (La), dissolved ug/liter Lanthanum (La), total ug/liter Lutetium Lutetium (Lu), total ug/liter Neodymium Neodymium (Nd), total ug/liter Niobium Niobium (Nb), total ug/liter Nitrogen, Kjeldahl Kjeldahl Nitrogen, total mg/liter Nitrogen, Organic Organic Nitrogen, dissolved as N mg/liter Organic Nitrogen, total as N mg/liter Oils and Grease Hexane Extractable Substances” mg/kg Osmium Osmium (Os), total ug/liter Palladium Palladium (Pd), total ug/liter Pesticides Miscellaneous peectetaos” ug/liter Phosphorus Phosphorus, total dissolved ug/liter @T be measured in streambed sediments only. Dy ctine only to specific pesticides as discussed in Section 3 of the text. (Continued) 119 ''TABLE 50. PRIORITY ''C'’ CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS (Continued) Parameters Constituent Reported Units Platinum Platinum (Pt), total ug/liter Plutonium 238, 239 Plutonium 238, 239, dissolved pCi/liter Praseodymium Praseodymium (Pr), total ug/liter Rhenium Rhenium (Re), total ug/liter Rhodium Rhodium (Rh), total ug/liter Rubidium Rubidium ion (Rb), dissolved ug/liter Rubidium (Rb), total ug/liter Ruthenium Ruthenium (Ru), total ug/liter Ruthenium 106 Ruthenium 106, total pCi/liter Samarium Samarium (sm), total ug/liter Scandium Scandium ion (Sc), dissolved ug/liter Scandium (Sc), total ug/liter Strontium Strontium ion (Sr), dissolved ug/liter Tantalum Tantalum (Ta), total ug/liter Technetium Technetium (Tc), total ug/liter Tellurium Tellurium (Te), total ug/liter Terbium Terbium (Tb), total ug/liter Thallium Thallium ion (Tl), dissolved pg/liter Thallium (Tl), total ug/liter Thorium Thorium (Th), total ug/liter Uranium Uranium ion (U), dissolved ug/liter Uranium (U), total ug/liter Ytterbium Ytterbium ion (Yb), dissolved ug/liter Ytterbium (Yb), total ug/liter (Continued) 120 ''TABLE 50. PRIORITY ''C'" CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL PARAMETERS TO BE MEASURED IN SURFACE WATERS (Continued) Parameters Constituent Reported Units Yttrium Yttrium ion (Y), dissolved ug/liter Yttrium (Y), total ug/liter Zirconium Zirconium ion (Zr), dissolved ug/liter Zirconium (Zr), total ug/liter 121 ''to accumulate in the biota in far greater levels than are found in the water column as a result of uptake and concentration both through the food chain and directly from the water. Thus, an examination of tissue may reveal the presence of potentially hazardous substances in the biota which were not detectable in the water. Biological monitoring should be incorporated into any monitoring program designed to assess the impact of development and operation of an oil shale industry on the freshwater ecosystem and water quality. Subtle changes in water quality characteristics may be indicated by changes in the aquatic biota before they are detected by physical-chemical monitoring procedures. Biological monitoring should not be viewed as an alternative to physical- chemical monitoring, but rather as a complementary tool for improving the efficacy of monitoring programs. Selection of Parameters Selection and prioritization of biological parameters were accomplished by considering both the components of the aquatic community most responsive to stress, and the measurement technique most appropriate for directly or indirectly measuring such response. The parameters were categorized and prioritized in accordance with the following criteria: Priority "A" (1) Measurement of those components of the aquatic community which exhibit a predictable and measurable response to the type of stress conditions anticipated considering the nature of expected pollutants and habitat alteration associated with oil shale development activities, and (2) for which analytical and measurement techniques provide rapid and reproducible data with a minimum of monetary and manpower investments. Priority "B" (1) Measurement of those components of the aquatic community associated with particular habitats that may be affected by particular conditions which may be induced by development of an oil shale industry and _associated activities. Priority "A" parameters (Table 51) are recommended for routine monitoring in any basic water quality monitoring program designed to assess the environmental impact of oil shale and associated development on aquatic ecosystems. Priority "B" parameters (Table 52) should not be routinely monitored unless a specific problem is encountered or suspected ina particular environment. 122 ''(penutjuo7)) "exe JO TeqUNN = ¢_ *S[TENPTATpuy jo Jequny = uo *szequny [PIO] = N, yuo/ ant Bory 97e13Sqns/*4M e [TAydosoTy9 AqTsiaAtTg pue uoxe] yIT/u uoxey /u uotjtsoduoy AjTunuMO) (991j-Yse) ere eery e7e13Ssqng 3ITun/*IM TeIOL sseuotg queoied quno9 Teuotjazodoazg sstoedsg wo jetg UOTIEOTITIUSPTL Zue/N very 97e13Sqnsg 3TuUN/N pue sjuno9 uojzkydtisg ensstl 3/3n ‘4M eNSssT] Jtug/soueyIsqns *3M ur s9oueqsqns JTXO]L N/S N/,S AjTsieATq pue uoxe]L yIT/u voxeL/ ou uotj3tsodwog A} TunuMO) utw/3 JA0s3q BuUTTdwes 3TUg u/3 io (e91js-yse) é eedy e2e14sqns 3tup/*3IM TeIOL sseuotg etdues/N etdues 3tug uTw/N Zo (eWT) JIOsF_ Burtdues 3Tug UOTIPOTITIUSPL guiN io eaaiy ejeiqsqns 37un/ N pue sjuno) Soa PIqeaIABVAUTOADeY situg StsATeuy te eueieg AjtTunuuo) SUALANVAVd TVOIOOTOIM .,V,, ALIYOIYd “TS ATAVL 123 '' etTdues/ist] satoeds uotjtsoduoyj AjTunuuo0) ensst] ur 3/3u eNnsst] “IM 3TUp/seoUeISqns *4M aouReqsqns ITxXoO] (*3M 72M) etdues/3 310s 3q SuT[Tdwesg 3Tug/*IM TeIOL sseuotg uoTIeOTFTIUSP] etdues/N W10FJq BuTTdwes 3fun/N pue sjuno9 usta sjtug stsA[Teuy Jajoweieg Aj Tunuuo) (penut 30d) SYALANVAVd TVOISOIOLY ,,V,, ALTYOIUd ‘TS ATAVL 124 ''exe] Jo requny I n a *S[TENPTATpuy jo itequny = Ug *sioquny [Teo] = Nn Tw/N suUNTOA 3TuUn/N WAIOFTTOD [e084 TwW/N auNnToA 3tun/N WAOFTITOD) TeIOL eTisqoReg uoTIeTIOSSY AjtTunuuo) pue uotjetToossy AjTunuuo) pue Setoeds jo dew @8ePIZAOD TPROIV UOTIEITJTIUSpT satoeds so jAydoisey oD y33ue7 (a3) am x oT = ¥ 343TeM/Y4I38uUeT 10}08q UOTITpUd) wu / 14 setoeds Aq yI38ue71/a3y a7ey yRWoIy q apTeog Burley Teueg JSsey oqsey But UTeL YseTga ystd N/S N/_S AjTsiaATq pue uoxe], yzT/u MONLY uotitsoduoy) Aqtunumo) taqTT/3r euNTOA 3Tun/*IM TeIOL Be [TAydosz0Ty9 Tw /N aUNTOA aFun/ N uoTIeOTJTIUSep] pue sjunoy) uo zyueT do Aug s}tug stsf] euy Jajoweieg Aj Tunuuo) SUALANVUVd TVOIOOTOIS .,8,, ALIMOINd °7S ATAVL ''REFERENCES ' A. 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Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, Cincinnati, Ohio. 32 + Appendix pp. Lee, H., T. O. Peyton, R. V. Steele, and R. K. White. 1976. Potential radioactive pollutants resulting from expanded energy programs. Stanford Research Institute. SRI-CRESS Report 6:79-87. Likens, G. E. 1972. Eutrophication and aquatic ecosystems. In: Proceedings of the Symposium on Nutrients and Eutrophication: W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State Univ. Feb. 11-12, 1977. Amer. Soc. of Limnology and Oceanography, Allen Press Inc. Lawrence, Kansas. Special Symposium. 1:3-13. Mackenthun, K. M. 1965. Nitrogen and phosphorus in water. U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. PHS. Washington, D.C. 111 Pp. Manigold, D. B. and J. A. Schulze. 1969. Pesticides in water. Pesticides Monitoring J. 3(2):124-135. Marshall, P. W. 1974. Colony development operation room-and-pillar oil shale mining. Proc. of the 7th Oil Shale Symposium. Quarterly of the Colorado School of Mines. Golden, Colo. 69(2):171-184. Matzick, A., R. O. Dannenberg, J. R. Ruark, J. E. Phillips, J. D. Lankford, and B. Guthrie. 1966. Development of the Bur. of Mines gas-combustion oil shale retorting process. Bur. of Mines Bull. 635. Washington, D.C. 199 pp. Maugh, T. H. 1977. Oil shale: Prospects on the upswing. . . Again. Science, December, 1977. 198:1023-1027. McKee, J. E. and H. W. Wolf. 1963. Water quality criteria. 2nd ed. California State Water Quality Control Board, Pub. 3-A. Sacramento. 548 pp. National Academy of Sciences. 1973. Water quality criteria, 1972. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Pub., EPA-R3-73-033. March 1973. Washington, D.C. 594 pp. 128 ''National Technical Advisory Committee. 1968. Water quality criteria. Federal Water Pollution Control Administration. Washington, D.C. 234 pp. Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission. 1955. Aquatic life water quality criteria. First progress report. ORSANCO, Aquatic Life Advisory Committee, Sewage and Industrial Wastes. 27:32]. 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Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, Colorado. 52 pp. Weaver, L., C. G. Gunnerson, A. W. Breidenbach, and J. J. Lichtenberg. 1965. Chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides in major U.S. river basins. Public Health Rept. 80(6):431-493. Weeks, J. B. and F. A. Welder. 1974. Hydrologic and geophysical data from the Piceance Basin, Colorado. U.S. Geol. Surv. and Colo. Dept. Water Res. Colorado Water Resources. Basic-Data Release 35. Denver. 121 pp. 130 ''Welch, P. S. 1952. Limnology, 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York. 538 PP. Wright Water Engineers. 1977. Final environmental baseline report for tract C-a and vicinity. Vol. 1., pp. II-1-II-317. Rio Blanco Oil Shale Project, May 1977. 131 ''APPENDIX A: CONVERSION OF TEXT TABLES 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 TO METRIC UNITS 132 ''LIST OF APPENDIX TABLES Page Contingent water consumption forecasts for a l-million- barrel-per-day shale oil industry (Table 1).....4.2.. 134 Ranges of water use for various rates and methods of shale oil production (m3 x 106) (Table 2). ........2... 135 Summary of streamflow records of streams draining the Colorado oil shale area (Table 3).......2....2.2.2.. 136 Water required and produced by two single mines for a projected 30-year period of shale oil production (Table 4) 137 Summary of geologic units and their water-bearing characteristics in the Piceance Creek Basin (Table 8) , 138 133 ''*(WH-1II *d SI ‘TOA S€/61) IdSN Worz peTFEpOW :ed1n0g G*Z9E-T ETE L£°t€7-0°67T TOT-9°€6 STVLOL GNVad 6°8L -7°6E = - a} TUuOsmep/aITTOoyeN :queudoTeasg Are, TTouy 9°E8C-L°ELT L°7€7-0° 67T TOT-9 °€6 STVLOL €°€7 €°€7-7°LT G*E€T-T TT sTeq.o3qns 7°? 7°¢ =o £F 0 aemod oT seuU0g 6°02 6-07-0°9T G°e€I-T*TT asn oT}seu0g :ueqin pe.erToossy €°097-7° S07 7°607-8° TET G°L8-S°78 sTeqo07qns cil C7l -2°T Z°T asn AreqtTues CGC 8°7I- O (6) UOTIEISZIATY G°SS-9°SY €°8d-S 8ST €°?r 1emMog 9°€OT €°98-6°LS 9°62 Tesodstp eTeys pesseo0ig Z° 7S Z°7S oo les 6°S7-6°07 SutTpeasdn [To eTeys 8° VT 8°VI- T'Il 8uUT}10}904 8°6 8°6 - 7°L Bufysnio pue SuTUuTW :3uTsso00I1g asuey roddg ATOATT WOW esuey I3OM0T sjusweitnbsy (,01 x x uoTjdunsuo) t93eM JO oduey (T 9TqWPL) KULSNGNI ‘IIO ZIVHS AVG-WAd-TAAAVA-NOLITTIN-T V YOA SLSVOFNOT NOILdWNSNOD UALVM INAONIINOD “T-V AXTaVL 134 '' *(v€-11I_ *d ‘I TOA ‘€/6T) IdSN WorAzZ petsTpow :ed1n0g f° T6T T°08 7°S L£°0Z2 L°OT SAN TVA NVAW 8°ZES - O° 64T €°L6 - €°29 6°9 - 9°€ 9°77 - 9° 9OT OvelL = €°8 STVLOL GNVud ees = SLT C*6 = G2 T°T - 6°0 0°? - G°T @°tT - 6°0 sTe 03qNS 7°Z = CT L°0 - 9°0 T°0 - T°O Z°0O - T°O T°0 - T°O aemod oF 3seu0g 6°02 - O°9T Ss°8 - 9°9 O°T - 8°O eT = 7°T Tr = 8°0 esn oF Jseuo0g :uegin poletoossy 0S°60Z - O8°TET OT°88 - OT°SS oe°9 - L°? 09°72 - 06°4T O8°TT - OF°L sTejo3qns 02°T - 02°T 07°0 - 02°0 0S*O - 20°0 60°0 - ¥70°0 90°0 - 20°O asn AiejtTues O8°7T - 00°0 00°9 - 00°0 98°0 - 00°0 98°0 - 00°0 98°0 - 00°0 UOT eIsZ9AIY O€°8z - OS°ST O€°TT - OT°L 02°72 - 06°0 Os*t - O8°T OZ°T - 06°0 TamMog O€°98 —- 06°LS OT°8E - 02°SZ OL°OT - O2@°L O7V°S - OS°E Tesodsftp eTeys pesse001g O€' 7S - OL°SE 09°TZ - OV'HT OL°Z - O8'T OFS - O9°E OL°Z - O8'T Suftpeagdn [To eTeys O8°7T - OT°TT 0£€°9 - 00°S O8°T - OF°T 06°0 - TL°O 8ut 310304 08°6 - O”°L 07°? - O2°E 97°T - 06°0 Z9°0 - G¥°0 Sufysnio pue BSutufy :8uptsse00I1g sututW SjusueItTNbey XT ABoTouyse], XEW AZoTouysey n3zFsg Ul eUuTW soeJANS sBUTW punorsrepug /000° 004 /000 °00¥4 /000°0S —/000°OOT /000°0S uofzoOnporg jo poyyey/(Aep ted sjTaiieq) uot ONporg TToO eTeUS (Z 9T9PL) (g0T * ¢w) NOILONGOUd TIO ATVHS AO SGOHLAW GNV SALVA SNOLYVA WOA ASN WALVM AO SHONVA “C-V ATAVL 135 '' “CIL6T) “TP 38 UTFJOD WorZ peTJTpoW :sedino0g 0°0€ 70°0 c°899 9961 ‘Ides-7961 °390 AeATY 9ITYM AveU YeeIQ MOTTAR z0* G*sT 87°0 0°629T 9961 *3deS-7961 *290 APATY BITYM Je YooID soUuPaDTg yotng ueky c0* €°1IT SE°0 T°9S2T L961 ‘3deS-796T °390 MOTeq YeeIp vouesdTg €00° G GL L£S°0 c°96€ €V61T *3deS-O761 *390 OCDUeTg OTY ABeU YeaIN soURaDTG €00° $9°0 70°O °C? 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SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Table 8) Alluvium, 0-43 meters thick; Holocene and Pleistocene (?) in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character —- Uinta Formation: Sand, gravel and clay partly fill major valleys as much as 42 meters; generally less than one kilo- meter wide. Beds of clay may be as thick as 21 meters, generally thickest near the center of valleys. Sand and gravel contain stringers of clay near mouths of small tributaries to major streams. Near the headwaters of the major streams, dissolved- solids concentrations range from 250 to 700 mg/liter. Dominant ions in the water are generally calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. In most of the area, dissolved solids range from 700 to as much as 25,000 mg/liter. Above 3,000 mg/liter the dominant ions are sodium and bicarbonate. Water is under artesian pressure where sand and gravel are overlain by keds of clay. Reported yields as much as 5.7 m/min. Well yields will decrease with time because valleys are narrow and the valley walls act as relatively impermeable boundaries Transmissivity ranges from 75.9 m /day to 567.7 m /day. The storage coefficient averages 0.20. 0-381 meters thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Intertonguing and gradational beds of sandstone, siltstone and marlstone: contains pyroclastic rocks and few conglomerate lenses. Forms surface rock over most of the area; thins appreciably westward. Water ranges from 250 to 1,800 mg/liter dissolved solids. Hydrologic Character -- Beds of sandstone are predominantly fine grained and have low permeability. Water moves primarily (Continued) 138 ''TABLE A-5. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Uinta Formation (Continued): Hydrologic Character -- (Continued) Green River Formation: Parachute Creek Member, Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- through fractures. The part of the Formation higher than valley floors is mgstly drained. Reported to yield as much as 0.37 m/min were tested in the north-central part of the basin. Formation has not been thoroughly tested, and larger yields may be possible. 152-548 meters thick; Eocene in age: Kerogenaceous dolomitic marlstone (oil shale) and shale; contains thin pyroclastic beds, fractured to depths of at least 451 meters. Abundant saline minerals in deeper part of the basin. The member can be divided into three zones which can be correlated throughout the basin by use of geophysical logs: (1) high resistivity, (2) low resistivity or leached, and (3) Mahogany zone (oldest to youngest). Water ranges in dissolved-solids content from 250 to about 63,000 mg/liter. Below 500 mg/liter, calcium is the dominant cation: Above 500 mg/liter, sodium is generally dominant. Bicarbonate is generally the dominant anion regardless of concentration. Fluoride ranges from 0.0 to 54 mg/liter. The high resistivity zone and Mahogany zone are relatively impermeable. The leached zone (middle zone) contains water in solution openings and is under sufficient artesian pressure to cause flowing wells.. Transmissivity ranges from less than 33.9 m /day per meter, in the margins of the basin to 152 m /day per meter in the ceqter of the basin. Estimated yields as much as 3.7 m /min. otal water in storage in the leached zone is 3,083 m or more. (Continued) 139 ''TABLE A-5. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Green River Formation: Garden Gulch Member, 0-274 meters thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- Papery and flaky marlstone and shale; contains some beds of oil shale and, locally, thin beds of sand- stone. One water analysis indicates dissolved-solids concentration of 12,000 mg/liter. Relatively impermeable and probably contains few fractures. Prevents downward movement of water. In the Parachute and Roan Creeks drainages, springs are found along contact with overlying rocks. Not known to yield water to wells. Douglas Creek Member, 0-244 meters thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- Sandstone, shale and limestone; contains oolites and ostracods. The few analytical results indicate that dissolved- solids content ranges from 3,000 to 12,000 mg/liter. Dominant ions are sodium and bicarbonate, or sodium and chloride. Relatively low permeability and probably little fractured. Maximum yield is unknown, but probably less than 0.19 m /min. Anvil Points Member, 0-570 meters thick; Eocene in age: Physical Character -- Shale, sandstone, and marlstone grade within a short distance westward into the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, and lower part of the Parachute Creek Member. Beds of sandstone are fine grained. (Continued) 140 ''TABLE A-5. SUMMARY OF GEOLOGIC UNITS AND THEIR WATER-BEARING CHARACTERISTICS IN THE PICEANCE CREEK BASIN (Continued) Green River Formation (Continued): Water Qualtiy -- Hydrologic Character -- Wasatch Formation, 91-1525 Physical Character -—- Water Quality -- Hydrologic Character -- The principal ions in the water are generally magnesium and sulfate. The dissolved-solids content ranges from about 1,200 to 1,800 mg/liter. Sandstone beds have low permeability. A few wells tapping sandstone beds yield less than 0.03 m/min. Springs issuing from fractures yield as much as 0.37 m /min. meters thick; Eocene in age: Clay, shale, lenticular sandstone; locally, beds of conglomerate and limestone. Beds of clay and shale are the main constituents of the formation. Contains gypsum. Gypsum contributes sulfate to both surface-water and ground water supplies. Beds of clay and shale are relatively impermeable. Beds of sandstone are slightly permeable. The Formation is not known to yield water to wells. Source: Modified from Coffin et al. (1971). *U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1979—684-484 141 '' TECHNICAL REPORT DATA (Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing) 1. REPORT NO. 2. EPA-600/4-79-018 3. RECIPIENT’S ACCESSION NO. 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE SURFACE WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS FOR MONITORING OIL SHALE DEVELOPMENT 5. REPORT DATE March 1979 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE 7. AUTHOR(S) W. L. Kinney, A. N. Brecheisen, and V. W. Lambou 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO. 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Las Vegas, Nevada 89114 10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. 1BD884 11. CONTRACT/GRANT NO. 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-Las Vegas, NV Office of Research and Development Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory Las Vegas, Nevada 89114 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED Final 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE EPA/600/07 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 16. ABSTRACT use criteria. initially planned on leased public lands. industries are evaluated. water quality criteria for various water uses. This report develops and recommends prioritized listings of chemical, physical, and biological parameters which can be used to assess the environmental impact of oil shale development on surface water resources. The derivation of the list and the prioritization of the parameters are based on a review of current information regarding potential pollutants and the severity of the possible impact on ambient water quality with respect to water Each of the potential water-related problems is addressed in the context of the probable cumulative regional impact of a maturing, commercial oil shale industry and in terms of local impact resulting from the prototype operation The possible effects of potential pollutants on ambient water quality and the resulting impact on aquatic life, public water supplies, livestock, irrigation agriculture, and selected Where sufficient data are available, attempts are made to relate historical, current, and projected water quality data to 17. KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS fa. DESCRIPTORS b. IDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS |c. COSATI Field/Group surface water oil shale industry water pollution monitoring water quality parameters 06 F 07 B, C 08 H water quality environmental survey aquatic biology water chemistry water quality, criteria parameter priority ranking Colorado River Basin oil shale development 13 B, H 18 H 18. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT RELEASE TO PUBLIC 19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report) 21. NO. OF PAGES 156 IFIED 20. SECURITY CLASS (This page) UNCLASSIFIED 22. PRICE A08 EPA Form 2220-1 (Rev. 4-77) PREVIOUS EDITION IS OBSOLETE ''AaVaaiT HLIV3H Onand '' LIC 2C wpy 1s on PURLE United States Environmental Research Environmental Protection Information Center Agency Cincinnati OH 45268 Official Business Postage and Penalty for Private Use Fees Paid $300 Environmental Protection Agency US.MAIL EPA 335 a Special Fourth U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES Class Rate Book A €021976507 If your address is incorrect, please change on the above label; tear off; and return to the above address. 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