Rio Grande River Sonde Data from Bernalillo County, New Mexico (2006-2007)

Human populations in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas depend on the Rio Grande for municipal water, agricultural irrigation, and recreation. The Rio Grande and its riparian corridor also support thousands of species of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, some of which include over 300 species of migratory birds and the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow and southwestern willow flycatcher. Eutrophication and salinization are the two most important types of water quality degradation which negatively impact the human and nonhuman biological communities in this water poor region. In spite of their significance, few published studies have investigated anthropogenic and natural sources of nutrients and dissolved solids to the Rio Grande. This study investigated the patterns and trends of nutrients and dissolved solids in the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) on a monthly basis from September 2005 – January 2008. During all months, wastewater treatment plants were the major source of nutrients to the MRG. Under high flow conditions, nutrient levels remained elevated for 260 river kilometers below the wastewater inputs. During months when significant portions of the river flow were diverted for irrigation, nitrate and phosphate were removed from the MRG and concentrations at the downstream end of the reach were returned to levels comparable to the un-impacted northern reach of river. Dissolved solids were added to the river by both wastewater and saline tributary inputs. Both anthropogenic and natural inputs of dissolved solids were found to affect water quality in the MRG. Continuous real-time measurements of temperature, pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity also were initiated at four sites above and through the urban reach of the City of Albuquerque. Preliminary results show increasing turbidity and dissolved oxygen depletions associated with storm runoff from urban areas.

科罗拉多州、新墨西哥州与得克萨斯州的人类聚居群落依赖格兰德河获取市政供水、农业灌溉用水，并依托其开展休闲活动。格兰德河及其河岸带还支撑着数千种植物、无脊椎动物与脊椎动物类群，其中涵盖300余种候鸟，以及濒危物种格兰德河银鲤（Rio Grande silvery minnow）和西南柳霸鹟（southwestern willow flycatcher）。富营养化（Eutrophication）与盐化（salinization）是该贫水区域最主要的两类水质退化类型，会对区域内的人类与非人类生物群落造成负面影响。尽管上述生态与环境问题意义重大，但目前鲜有已发表的研究探究格兰德河营养盐与溶解固体的人为及自然来源。本研究于2005年9月至2008年1月期间，按月监测了中格兰德河（Middle Rio Grande, MRG）的营养盐与溶解固体的分布模式及变化趋势。在所有监测月份中，污水处理厂均是中格兰德河营养盐的主要来源。在高流量条件下，污水处理厂排污口下游260公里河段的营养盐浓度仍维持在较高水平。在大量河水被引用于灌溉的月份，硝酸盐与磷酸盐会被从中格兰德河河道中移除，河段下游末端的浓度将恢复至与未受干扰的北部河段相当的水平。溶解固体通过污水处理厂排污与含盐支流输入两种途径进入河道。研究发现，人为与自然来源的溶解固体均会影响中格兰德河的水质。本研究同时在阿尔伯克基市城区河段及上游的4个监测点位启动了温度、pH、浊度、溶解氧与电导率的连续实时监测。初步结果显示，城市区域的暴雨径流会引发浊度上升与溶解氧消耗加剧。