Water-quality study on western tributaries in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006

Previous Studies

The maintenance of high water quality in the Snake River and its tributaries is one of the highest resource management priorities for the National Park Service (NPS) at Grand Teton National Park (GRTE). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the NPS has conducted water-quality studies on the Snake River and its tributaries within and around GRTE. A report describing water-quality characteristics of the Snake River and five eastern tributaries in the upper Snake River Basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1998-2002 is available at URL:  http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/sir2004-5017/.

Current Study

• Cottonwood Creek,
• Taggart Creek,
• Lake Creek, and
• Granite Creek.

Samples were collected at an upstream site located in an area of recreational use and a downstream site located near the confluence with the Snake River or other Snake River tributary within GRTE.

Map of study area.

Sampling Schedule and Constituents

Sampling events were scheduled to cover different flow regimes and periods of high recreational use during 2006. Samples were collected at the following times:

• June, high flow
• July, recreational season
• August/September, recreational season
• October, low flow

Samples were analyzed for the following constituents:

• Field constituents (including temperature, pH, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and discharge)
• Major ions (including calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, alkalinity, chloride, fluoride, and sulfate)
• Whole-water and filtered nutrients (including nitrogen and phosphorus species)
• Selected dissolved trace elements (including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, selenium, and zinc) (high flow only)
• Common pesticides (high flow only)
• Suspended sediment

Teton Range, Wyoming.

Planned Products

A report describing the results of this study is planned for publication in 2007.