WWRC 85-33
Flaming Gorge Watershed Project: Analyses with Existing Data
Abstract
The Green River drains 12,000 mi2 of western
Wyoming and northeastern Utah. Its basin incorporates a
diverse spectrum of geology, soils, topography, climate, and
land cover. Land use predominately is associated with forest
and range, although an increasing number of industries are
locating in the southern half of the drainage. Dissolved and
particulate matter in the river derives primarily from nonpoint
sources in the watershed. Output of materials from the
basin contributes to processes in Flaming Gorge Reservoir,
immediately downstream of the study area. We report on the
derivation and application of multiple linear regression
models which associate various basin attributes (e.g., stream
channel slope, underlying geologic formations, annual precipitation)
with existing measurements of nitrate, phosphorus,
total dissolved solids, turbidity, and alkalinity in the
Green River system. We also estimate point source loads of
nitrate and phosphorus, and illustrate how their exclusion
affects the models developed by considering all sources.
Finally, we show how our models can be used by managers to
rank portions of the basin by amount of material contributed
to the total dissolved and particulate load.
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