Addressing Algae Problems on Colorado’s White and Yampa Rivers

Upper Colorado River Basin Water Forum

Ken Leib – U.S. Geological Survey

Overview• Where is algae a problem?

• What problem does algae present to local communities?

• What are we doing to look at the algae issue?

• What might be causing nuisance algae?

Sampling in White R., 2018

Where do we have algae problems - Western Colorado

Colorado River at Cameo September 2018

White River above Coal Creek July 2016

Toxic Algae in Blue Mesa Reservoir September 2018

GVWUA fish screen, 2018

Where do we have algae problems - U.S.

Toxic Algae bloom in Utah Lake, July 2018

Algae growths have been reported on the Clark Fork, Bitterroot and Big Hole rivers as a heat wave settled over western Montana.

Red Tide/Green Slime off Florida Coast, 2018P.Schmidt, Charlotte Sun

Algae impactsLakes and Reservoirs

• Primarily blue-green algae• Oxygen depletion• Toxins• Aesthetics, taste and odor• Operation and maintenance

Rivers and Streams • Benthic• Possible oxygen depletion• Aesthetics, taste and odor• Impacts to recreational industry• Operation and maintenance

Streamflow gage measurement at Cameo, 2018

White River, 2018

USGS studies in Western Colorado

• Historic analysis• Upper White and Yampa River Basins

• Based on available data (long-term monitoring programs)• Water-quality characterization

• Trend analysis

• Physical and chemical analysis • Upper White River Basin

• New data collection• Algae (biomass, chl a)

• Physical surveys – Critical flows and channel form

• Chemical surveys – Nutrient concentrations and loads

Approximate

study area

Upper Yampa Basin Study

Historic AnalysisAnd Study Design

20 Semi-random sites

Upper White Riverphysical and chemicalcharacterization

NF White River

SF White River

Meeker

White River

Buford

• Preliminary stages of these studies.

• Possible causes:• Land use

• Residential growth• Industry• Agriculture• Aquaculture• Pesticides

•Drought•Climate•Water use

Causality of nuisance algae

Statistical analysis

Water Temperature Specific Conductance

pHHardness

Dissolved OxygenNutrient concentrations

Nutrient loadsNutrient ratios

Water clarity

ThresholdsVelocity

Streamflow statisticsMacro invertebrates

Width depth ratioSinuosityGradient

Grain sizeAdjacent land use

Significant variables (from multivariate analysis)

Independent variables(from data collection efforts)

Dependent variable(from data collection efforts)

Algal biomassX1

X2

Poor

Rich

Rich

Multivariate analysis

X4

X5

Xn

PoorRich

Poor

Poor

Poor

Rich

Rich

Rich

Identification of mitigating and contributing factors

Causality of nuisance algae

• Regional patterns may not be detected by multivariate approach

• Example: Increases in Total Phosphorus reported in literature (Stoddard et al., 2016, Smith et al. 2017).• Looking at this now in White River Data set

• If TP is not limiting, what is a systems response to historic conditions or changes?

- Riparian habitat

- Nutrient inputs

- Water use

• Why is there more TP?

- Land use

- Forest health

- Climate

Are we seeing increases in TP everywhere or just select locations?

Animas R. below WWTP, 2017

Thank You