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U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Surface water geochemistry
during snowmelt and
monsoons in the Animas and
San Juan Rivers
Johanna M. Blake and Jeb E. Brown
New Mexico Water Science Center
Alisa Mast
Colorado Water Science Center
Navajo
ReservoirFarmington
Lake
Aztec
ReservoirWater quality sample location
Sediment sample location
Holistic Approach to Science• Multiple stakeholders, scientists
• Multiple locations sampled
• Different types of samples; water and sediment
Navajo
ReservoirFarmington
Lake
Aztec
ReservoirWater quality sample location
Sediment sample location
Research Questions:
1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New
Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?
2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?
3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in
locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?
Gold King Mine
Durango
Farmington Aztec
1
23
4
5
New Mexico USGS Continuous Monitoring Sites1- Animas River near Cedar Hill
2- Animas River below Aztec
3- San Juan River at Farmington
4- San Juan River at Shiprock
5- San Juan River Four Corners
Field work: Sonde installation and
surface water sampling
Navajo
ReservoirFarmington
Lake
Aztec
ReservoirWater quality sample location
Sediment sample location
Research Questions:
1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New
Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?
2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?
3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in
locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?
Hydrographs and sample timing
Animas River Cedar HillAztec
Cedar Hill
sampling events
Aztec
sampling events
San Juan River FarmingtonShiprockFour CornersFarmington
sampling events
Shiprock
sampling events
No water quality samples from Four Corners
Animas RiverTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.
Monsoon total concentrations are higher than snowmelt concentrations.
San Juan River-AluminumTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.
San Juan River-Lead and ArsenicTotal (unfiltered) concentrations are higher than filtered concentrations.
Animas River has similar results
Navajo
ReservoirFarmington
Lake
Aztec
ReservoirWater quality sample location
Sediment sample location
Research Questions:
1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New
Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?
2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?
3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in
locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?
Total Aluminum Concentrations Vs.
Streamflow (discharge) and turbidity
Units: Al (mg/L), streamflow (cfs), turbidity (NTU)
Data from all four sites
Preliminary data
Total Lead Concentrations Vs.
Streamflow (discharge) and turbidity
Units: Pb (mg/L), streamflow (cfs), turbidity (NTU)
Data from all four sites
Preliminary data
▪ Preliminary
▪ Add multiple parameters to a regression
equation at each site to optimize the model.
▪ Each site can be different and total versus
dissolved data can exhibit different model
results.
Regression based on all available data
Regression based on all available data
ALUMINUM
Animas River near Cedar Hill
Dissolved aluminum vs. specific
conductance, discharge, and pH
Total aluminum vs. turbidity,
discharge, and pH
Preliminary data
Regression based on all available data
Dissolved aluminum model
fit and prediction- discharge
and pH based
Total aluminum model fit and
prediction
ALUMINUM
Animas River near Cedar Hill
No significant
regression
Preliminary data
Regression based on all available data
LEAD
Animas River near Cedar Hill
Dissolved lead vs. specific
conductance, discharge, and pH
Total lead vs. turbidity, discharge, and
specific conductance
Preliminary data
Regression based on all available data
Dissolved lead model fit and
prediction- discharge and
SC based
Total lead model fit and
prediction- discharge and
turbidity based
LEAD
Animas River near Cedar Hill
Preliminary data
Navajo
ReservoirFarmington
Lake
Aztec
ReservoirWater quality sample location
Sediment sample location
Research Questions:
1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New
Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?
2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?
3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in
locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?
Sediment concentrationsSuspended Sediment Concentrations
Sediment chemistry
(Na,Ca)0.33(Al,Mg)2(Si4O10)(OH)2·nH2O
Sorption to Clay
Example: Montmorillonite
Abollino and others, 2003
Sorption to Sand
Example: Iron oxide
http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-
S0167732216329609-fx1.jpg
Metal total concentrations Vs.
Suspended sediment concentrations
• Al, Fe, and
SSC data in
mg/L; Pb and
As in ug/L
• Data from all
four sites
• Al, Fe, and As
have somewhat
linear relations
with SSC
• Pb has more
sporadic
pattern
Preliminary data
SNOWMELT
• Total As has a larger range in the San Juan River
• Lead in the San Juan and Animas Rivers have
similar concentrations
MONSOON
• Aluminum and lead concentrations are as much as
10X to 6X higher than concentrations measured
during snow melt.
Total water concentrations- Includes
dissolved and particulate matter
Preliminary data
Total water concentrations- Includes
dissolved and particulate matter
SNOWMELT
• Total As has a larger range in the San Juan River\
• Lead in the San Juan and Animas Rivers have
similar concentrations
MONSOON
• Iron and lead concentrations are as much as 10X
to 6X higher than concentrations measured during
snow melt.
Preliminary data
NURE sediment• Aluminum concentrations
are higher than iron on
the landscape from this
dataset
• What does this mean for
understanding the effects
of mine drainage versus
natural deposition?
Conclusions
Research Questions:
1. Do concentrations of total and dissolved metals increase in the Animas and San Juan Rivers in New
Mexico during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events?
Total concentrations of aluminum, lead and arsenic (among other metals) are higher than dissolved
concentrations and increase during snowmelt and monsoonal storm events.
2. How are field parameters associated with metals’ concentrations?
There are relations among discharge and turbidity (among other parameters) and aluminum and lead.
However, these relations differ between dissolved and total concentrations as well as site.
Regression models also vary based on dissolved and total concentrations as well as site.
3. What are suspended-sediment concentrations, and how do metals’ concentrations vary with sediment in
locations along the Animas and San Juan Rivers?
Suspended sediment concentrations range from 10 to 10,000 mg/L depending on site and time of sample.
Al, Fe, and As have somewhat linear relations with SSC, however Pb has more sporadic pattern.
Relation between metals Pb and As and potential sorbents (Al and Fe) differ between snowmelt and monsoon
sampling.
Aluminum concentrations are higher than iron on the landscape from the NURE dataset.
Cooperators
▪ New Mexico Environment Department
▪ US Environmental Protection Agency
Thank you!
