Precipitation, Streamflow and a Look at Little Bear River Contaminants Becky Goode Brook Demitropoulos Bimayendra Shrestha CEE 5440/6440 Final Project

The Hydrologic Cycle

The Main Focus of Our Project Determine and analyze the relationship that exists between: Precipitation Streamflow Look at contamination in the Little Bear River

Simplified Process Looking only at precipitation and streamflow Infiltration and Snow melt are not considered

Study Area: Little Bear –Logan

Location of Weather Stations STATION NAME LONGITUDE LATITUDE LONGITUDE DD LATITUDE DD Logan Radio 111° 50' W 41° 46' N -111.8333° 41.7667° Logan Experiment Station 111° 49' W 41° 45' N -111.8167° 41.75° Logan USU 41° 44' N 41.7333° Logan 5 SW 111° 54' W 41° 40' N -111.9° 41.6667° Hardware Ranch 111° 34' W 41° 36' N -111.5667° 41.6°

Weather Station locations on the Little Bear –Logan Watershed

Long-term Precipitation in Little Bear-Logan (inches) STATION NAME JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC Logan Radio 1.26 1.28 1.69 1.8 1.87 1.39 0.73 0.92 1.61 1.43 Logan Experiment Station 1.58 1.63 1.99 1.51 0.43 0.99 1.12 1.45 1.54 Logan USU 1.52 1.91 2.02 2.05 1.22 0.65 0.82 1.21 1.72 1.48 1.46 Logan 5 SW 1.7 1.66 1.83 1.94 2.12 1.32 0.88 1.34 Hardware Ranch 1.55 1.25 1 1.33 1.38 1.68

Area Average Precipitation Thiessen Polygon Method Associates each point in the watershed with the nearest weather station Produces a table providing the number of grid cells in the watershed associated with each weather station

Area Average Precipitation

Area Average Precipitation Calculation of Average Area Precipitation Join thiessen grid table with weather station table Use the equation: Count = Number of grid cells associated with each weather station

Long-term Average Precipitation in Little Bear - Logan Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1.61 1.49 1.67 1.80 1.85 1.32 0.73 0.95 1.31 1.58 1.52 1.54

Streamflow Gauging Stations Stat No. Name Latitude Longitude Drainage Area 10105900 Little Bear River at Paradise, UT 41°34'32" 111°51'16" 182 miles² 10109000 Logan River Above State Dam, Near Logan UT 41°44'36" 111°46'55" 214 miles² 10113500 Blacksmith Fork AB U.P. & L CO, S Dam NR Hyrum 41°37'25" 111°44'17" 263 miles²

Location of Streamflow gauges

Daily Streamflow based on 83 years of record

Long time average Monthly Streamflow (cfs) Station No. Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 10105900 53.4 57 121 230 348 161 40.1 33.9 39.8 49.1 50.6 49.3 10109000 80 79.4 99.8 201 490 564 246 132 109 100 95 85.2 10113500 78.7 81.5 103 216 296 172 122 107 97 92.9 87.3 82.4

Long time average Streamflow data (inches) Station No. Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 10105900 0.338 0.326 0.766 1.410 2.204 0.987 0.254 0.215 0.244 0.311 0.310 0.312 10109000 0.431 0.386 0.538 1.048 2.640 2.940 1.325 0.711 0.568 0.539 0.495 0.459 10113500 0.345 0.323 0.452 0.916 1.298 0.730 0.535 0.469 0.411 0.407 0.370 0.361

Average Precipitation and Streamflow Stations Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Average Precipitation 1.61 1.49 1.67 1.80 1.85 1.32 0.73 0.95 1.31 1.58 1.52 1.54 10105900 0.338 0.326 0.766 1.41 2.204 0.987 0.254 0.215 0.244 0.311 0.31 0.312 10109000 0.431 0.386 0.538 1.048 2.64 2.94 1.325 0.711 0.568 0.539 0.495 0.459 10113500 0.345 0.323 0.452 0.916 1.298 0.535 0.469 0.411 0.407 0.37 0.361

Average Yearly Streamflow (in) Average Yearly Precipitation (in) Runoff Ratios Average Yearly Streamflow / Average Yearly Precipitation = the runoff ratio   Average Yearly Streamflow (in) Average Yearly Precipitation (in) Runoff Ratio Little Bear River at Paradise UT 7.677 17.37 0.4420 Logan River Above State Dam 12.08 0.6955 Blacksmith Fork Near Hyrum UT 6.617 0.3809

POLLUTION CONCERNS IN LITTLE BEAR RIVER Reference Little Bear River Watershed TMDL, Utah Department of Environmental Quality

Land Use

Cropland

Major Environmental Problems Sediments Nutrients Erosion Runoff from dairies, feedlots and irrigated croplands Poor riparian conditions Degradation of Hyrum Reservoir Degraded stream channels and stream banks

Little Bear River Watershed TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load The Maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards Goal is to meet state water quality standards for the designated beneficial uses of the waterbody Determined by the state Takes into account the use of the waterbody: such as drinking, contact recreation, aquatic life support, irrigation etc

State Beneficial Use Classification

Little Bear River Beneficial Use Classification Classification 2B Protected for secondary contact recreation such as boating, wading Classification 3A Protected for cold water species of game fish and other cold water aquatic life Classification 3D Protected for waterfowl, shore birds and other wildlife Classification 4 Protected for agricultural uses including irrigation of crops and stock watering

Calculation of Flow The concentration of contaminants depends on the flow in the river For point source contaminants does not vary with the flow rate However, non-point source contaminants input is greatest during high flow runoff periods. Which flow to use?

Water Quality Indicator – Phosphorus (max allowed 0.05 mg/l) Total Phosphorus Content Location % of Samples Non-supporting above Davenport Crk 8 Davenport abv S. Fork below Porcupine 18 above conf. w/S. Fork above conf. w/E. Fork 17 west of Avon 31 below White Trout farm 80 below Hyrum reservoir 61 below Wellsville 88 above Logan River 66

Streambank stabilization Riparian rehabilation Animal waste management Steps for improvement Streambank stabilization Riparian rehabilation Animal waste management Point source control Reference: Little Bear River Watershed TMDL, Utah Dept of Environmental Quality