Water quality summary for the Snake River and alpine lakes in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway: Preliminary analysis of 2014 data - Revised May 2016
Ray A, Kaylor K, Sigler WA, Mellander K, Whaley C. 2016. Water quality summary for the Snake River and alpine lakes in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway: Preliminary analysis of 2014 data - Revised May 2016. Natural Resource Report. NPS/GRYN/NRR—2015/1029. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report summarizes discharge and water quality monitoring data for the Snake River and water quality monitoring data for representative alpine lakes in Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway for calendar year 2014. Results presented include annual and long-term discharge summaries and an evaluation of chemical and suspended sediment conditions relative to state and federal water quality standards. These results are considered provisional and, therefore, may be subject to change. River discharge. Hydrographs for the Snake River at Flagg Ranch and Moose exhibit a general pattern of high early summer flows and lower baseflows occurring in late summer and extending into fall. In 2014, flows at the Flagg Ranch monitoring location were similar to the 75th percentile of daily flows at that site. Daily flows at the Moose monitoring station were more similar to average flows and the hydrograph at Moose also exhibited signs of flow regulation associated with the management of Jackson Lake. Water quality monitoring in the Snake River. Water quality in the Snake River exhibited seasonal variability over the sampling period. Specifically, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, and total iron peaked during high flows. In contrast, total arsenic levels were at their annual minimum during runoff. During peak flows total iron levels exceeded the Wyoming Chronic Aquatic Life Criterion for total recoverable iron. Water quality monitoring of alpine lakes. Water quality in three monitored lakes (Amphitheater, Delta, and Surprise Lakes) varied by lake and sampling date. Amphitheater and Surprise Lakes had total nitrogen and total phosphorus levels below the EPA Reference Condition for the Middle Rockies Ecoregion. Detectable levels of ammonium (NH4) were documented in Amphitheater and Delta Lakes during the September sampling.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Ray, Andrew; Kaylor, Katie; Sigler, W.; Mellander, Kathryn; Whaley, Chad
- Date of Issue
- 2016-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GRTE , GRYN , JODR , NRSS