Aquatic Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) data collected by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) suggested that perennial streams in Carbon and Emery counties of Utah exhibit increased nutrient loading and conductivity levels. Observed values exceeded state water quality standards and therefore did not meet BLM land health standards. However, water quality field data collection was limited to one-time grab samples collected in the summer during low flows, potentially leading to elevated concentrations. Based on aquatic AIM data, the BLM Green River District in 2017 coordinated with the Utah Division of Water Quality to collect monthly water samples within in Carbon and Emery counties to further address potential water quality exceedances following state guidelines. The goals of this monitoring were to determine 1) what is the spatial and temporal extent of water quality impairments, and 2) which land uses and ownership are most strongly associated with changes in water quality. The selection of sample locations was informed by Colorado Plateau Rapid Ecoregional Assessment modeling efforts that associated potential water quality exceedances with land uses such as agricultural activity, hydrologic alteration and oil and gas development. We will assess the attainment of state water quality standards using the temporally intensive sampling data and relate spatial patterns to both land use activities and ownership such as the percent agriculture cover, amount of irrigation return flows, density of oil and gas wells and urban area upstream of the sampling points.
Oral presentation and poster titles, abstracts, and authors from the Society for Range Management (SRM) Annual Meetings and Tradeshows, from 2013 forward.