Summary Information
Rio Grande Water Chemistry Data from Bernalillo County, New Mexico (2006-2007)
Creator:
Individual: David Van Horn
Physical Address:
Phone: US
Email: vanhorn@unm.edu
Creator:
Individual: Clifford Dahm
Physical Address:
Delivery Address: Sevilleta LTER, 167 Castetter Hall, University of New Mexico
City: Albuquerque
Locality: NM
Postal Code: 87131
Phone: US
Email: cdahm@sevilleta.unm.edu
Metadata Provider:
Individual: Information Manager Sevilleta LTER
Physical Address:
Delivery Address: 1 University of New Mexico
City: Albuquerque
Postal Code: 87131
Phone: US
Phone: (505) 277-2109
Phone: (505) 277.5355
Email: data-use@sevilleta.unm.edu
Associated Party:
Individual: David Van Horn
Physical Address:
Phone: US
Email: vanhorn@unm.edu
Role: data manager
Associated Party:
Individual: David Van Horn
Physical Address:
Phone: US
Email: vanhorn@unm.edu
Role: field crew
Publication Date: 2016-03-09
Language: English
Abstract:
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. 
Keywords:
Keyword: inorganic nutrients
Keyword Thesaurus: Core Areas
Keywords:
Keyword: salinity
Keyword: water quality
Keyword: nutrients
Keyword: carbon
Keyword: nitrate
Keyword: dissolved oxygen
Keyword: phosphate
Keyword: water
Keyword: rivers
Keyword Thesaurus: LTER Controlled Vocabulary
Intellectual Rights:
Data Policies
This dataset is released to the public and may be freely downloaded. Please keep the designated contact person informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation or collaboration with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset must include proper acknowledgement of the Sevilleta LTER. A copy of any publications using these data must be supplied to the Sevilleta LTER Information Manager.
Distribution:
Online:
URL: http://sevdeims-d.lternet.edu/data/sev-180
Coverage:
Geographic Goverage:
Geographic Description: The Rio Grande River, Bernalillo 550 Bridge, is located north of Albuquerque where NM 550 to Cuba cross the river.
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinates: -106.558
East Bounding Coordinates: -106.558
North Bounding Coordinates: 35.3215
South Bounding Coordinates: 35.3215
Bounding Altitude:
Altitude Minimum: 1534
Altitude Maximum: 1534
Altitude Units: meter
Geographic Goverage:
Geographic Description: This site is located on the Rio Grande River Below Rio Rancho Waste Water Treatment Plant
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinates: -106.641
East Bounding Coordinates: -106.641
North Bounding Coordinates: 35.1969
South Bounding Coordinates: 35.1969
Bounding Altitude:
Altitude Minimum: 1532
Altitude Maximum: 1532
Altitude Units: meter
Geographic Goverage:
Geographic Description: This site is located on the Rio Grande River where Rio Bravo Blvd cross the river in the southern part of Albuquerque
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinates: -106.674
East Bounding Coordinates: -106.674
North Bounding Coordinates: 35.027
South Bounding Coordinates: 35.027
Bounding Altitude:
Altitude Minimum: 1509
Altitude Maximum: 1509
Altitude Units: meter
Geographic Goverage:
Geographic Description: This site is located on the Rio Grande River above Isleta and I-25
Bounding Coordinates:
West Bounding Coordinates: -106.682
East Bounding Coordinates: -106.682
North Bounding Coordinates: 34.9502
South Bounding Coordinates: 34.9502
Bounding Altitude:
Altitude Minimum: 1493
Altitude Maximum: 1493
Altitude Units: meter
Temporal Coverage:
Date Range:
Begin Date:
Calendar Date: 2005-09-17
End Date:
Calendar Date: 2008-02-04
Purpose:
The objectives of this study were to: 1) conduct a detailed assessment of the temporal and spatial trends in water quality of the MRG, 2) determine sources of eutrophication and salinization along the MRG, 3) estimate instream nutrient processing and retention, 4) calculate the effects of urbanization on dissolved oxygen and stream metabolism values in the MRG, and 5) provide baseline data for future water-quality monitoring and assessment in the MRG. 
Contact:
Position Title: Information Manager
Organization: LTER Network Office
Physical Address:
Delivery Address: UNM Biology Department, MSC03-2020
Delivery Address: 1 University of New Mexico
City: Albuquerque
Locality: NM
Postal Code: 87131-0001
Phone: USA
Phone: 505 277-2535
Phone: 505 277-2541
Email: tech-support@lternet.edu
URL: http://www.lternet.edu
Contact:
Individual: Information Manager Sevilleta LTER
Physical Address:
Delivery Address: 1 University of New Mexico
City: Albuquerque
Postal Code: 87131
Phone: US
Phone: (505) 277-2109
Phone: (505) 277.5355
Email: data-use@sevilleta.unm.edu
Publisher:
Individual: Information Manager Sevilleta LTER
Physical Address:
Delivery Address: 1 University of New Mexico
City: Albuquerque
Postal Code: 87131
Phone: US
Phone: (505) 277-2109
Phone: (505) 277.5355
Email: data-use@sevilleta.unm.edu
Publication Place: Sevilleta LTER
Method Step:
Description:
Experimental Design:   Samples were collected along the lenth of the MRG over a two to three day period, approximately monthly. Single grab samples were collected at each site. During 'Monthly' collections samples were taken from just the mainstem of the MRG. During 'Synoptic' collections samples were taken from both the mainstem sites and all of the major tributaries to the MRG. Mainstem sites were located ~ 5 km downstream of each major tributary to  the MRG to allow complete mixing of the tributary and mainstem water bodies and tributaries were sampled just prior to their convergence with the mainstem of the Rio Grande. Samples were collected during periods of stable flow (samples were not collected during storm pulses).  Field methods:  Surface-water samples were collected for measurement of temperature, pH, and conductivity, and analysis of major dissolved inorganic nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, and ammonium), major cations (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium), major anions (sulfate, bromide and chloride), dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC, DIC), specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA), and chlorophyll a at each site. Sampling began in September 2005 and continued through February 2008. All samples were collected as close to the stream thalweg as flows permitted. Water samples for analysis of nutrients, cations, and anions were collected as grab samples in 130 ml syringes and immediately filtered in the field through ashed 0.7 um pore size glass fiber filters. Unfiltered water samples for chlorophyll-a analysis were collected in acid washed or unused HDPE bottles. All samples were placed on ice and transported to the laboratory for analysis. Laboratory Procedures:   Ammonium samples were analyzed using the phenyl hypochlorite method and a 10 cm flow path modified from Hansen and Koroleff (Hansen and Koroleff 1983). Bromide, chloride, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate were analyzed by ion chromatography (Dionex, Standard Method EPA 300.1, 2).  Organic and inorganic carbon were analyzed using a Shimadzu TOC-5050A carbon analyzer using Standard Method 5310 B (Clesceri et al. 1998). Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium were analyzed using a Perkin Elmer Optima 5300 DV ICP using Standard Method 3120 B (EPA 200.7) (Clesceri et al. 1998). Clesceri, L. S., A. E. Greenberg, and A. D. Eaton, editors. 1998. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 20 edition. American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment Federation, Baltimore. Hansen, H. P. and F. Koroleff. 1983. Determination of Nutrients. Pages 159-226 in K. Grasshoff, K. Kremling, and M. Ehrhardt, editors. Methods of Seawater Analysis. Weinheim: Verlag Chemie.
Instrumentation: * Instrument Name: Carbon Analyzer * Manufacturer: Shimadzu * Model Number: TOC-5050A * Instrument Name: Ion Chromatograph * Manufacturer: Dionex * Model Number:  * Instrument Name: Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer * Manufacturer: Perkin Elmer * Model Number: Optima 5300 DV ICP 
Data Table:
Entity Name: sev180_waterchemistry_02282012.txt
Entity Description: Data for Sev 180
Object Name: sev180_waterchemistry_02282012.txt
Size: 134500
Data Format:
Text Format:
Number of Header Lines: 1
Record Delimiter: \r\n
Attribute Orientation: column
Simple Delimited:
Field Delimiter: ,
Distribution:
Online:
URL: https://pasta.lternet.edu/package/data/eml/knb-lter-sev/180/374117/0e97405377819cf969264f68533e4b45
Coverage:
Temporal Coverage:
Calendar Date: 2012-02-28
Attribute List:
Attribute Name: site_name
Attribute Label: site_name
Attribute Definition: Un-abbreviated sampling site name.
Storage Type: string
Measurement Scale:
Nominal:
Non Numeric Domain:
Text Domain:
Definition: Un-abbreviated sampling site name.
Attribute Name: site
Attribute Label: site
Attribute Definition: Abbreviated sampling site name.
Storage Type: string
Measurement Scale:
Nominal:
Non Numeric Domain:
Text Domain:
Definition: Abbreviated sampling site name.
Attribute Name: monthly
Attribute Label: month
Attribute Definition: Monthly designation that the sample was taken-this does not correspond to the actual month the sample was taken in.
Storage Type: string
Measurement Scale:
Nominal:
Non Numeric Domain:
Text Domain:
Definition: Monthly designation that the sample was taken-this does not correspond to the actual month the sample was taken in.
Attribute Name: latitude
Attribute Label: latitude
Attribute Definition: Latitude of sampling site.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: degrees
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: longitude
Attribute Label: longitude
Attribute Definition: Longitude of sampling site.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: degrees
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: elevation
Attribute Label: elevation
Attribute Definition: Elevation of the sampling site.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: meters
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: river-kilometer
Attribute Label: river-kilometer
Attribute Definition: Distance in river kilometers from northern most site above Cochiti Reservoir.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: kilometer
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: rgtrib
Attribute Label: rgtrib
Attribute Definition: Labels site as either a Rio Grande mainstream sample or a tributary sample.
Storage Type: string
Measurement Scale:
Nominal:
Non Numeric Domain:
Text Domain:
Definition: Labels site as either a Rio Grande mainstream sample or a tributary sample.
Attribute Name: date
Attribute Label: date
Attribute Definition: Date sample was taken.
Storage Type: date
Measurement Scale:
Datetime:
Format String: MM/DD/YYYY
Attribute Name: time
Attribute Label: time
Attribute Definition: Time sample was taken.
Storage Type: date
Measurement Scale:
Datetime:
Format String: HH:MM:SS
Attribute Name: temp
Attribute Label: temp
Attribute Definition: Temperature of the water.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: celcius
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: ph
Attribute Label: ph
Attribute Definition: pH of the water.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: pH
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: cond
Attribute Label: cond
Attribute Definition: Specific conductance of the water.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: microSiemensPerCentimeter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: DOC_Conc
Attribute Label: DOC_Conc
Attribute Definition: Dissolved organic carbon concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: IC_Conc
Attribute Label: IC_Conc
Attribute Definition: Inorganic carbon concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: SUVA_Conc
Attribute Label: SUVA_Conc
Attribute Definition: Specific ultraviolet absorbance. (Absorbance at 254 nanometers)x(DOC concentration).
Storage Type: string
Measurement Scale:
Nominal:
Non Numeric Domain:
Text Domain:
Definition: Specific ultraviolet absorbance. (Absorbance at 254 nanometers)x(DOC concentration).
Attribute Name: Na_Conc
Attribute Label: Na_Conc
Attribute Definition: Sodium concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: K_Conc
Attribute Label: K_Conc
Attribute Definition: Potassium concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: Mg_Conc
Attribute Label: Mg_Conc
Attribute Definition: Magnesium concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: Ca_Conc
Attribute Label: Ca_Conc
Attribute Definition: Calcium concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: NH4_Conc
Attribute Label: NH4_Conc
Attribute Definition: Ammonium concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Custom Unit: microgramPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: NO3_Conc
Attribute Label: NO3_Conc
Attribute Definition: Nitrate concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: PO4_Conc
Attribute Label: PO4_Conc
Attribute Definition: Phosphate concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: SO4_Conc
Attribute Label: SO4_Conc
Attribute Definition: Sulphate concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: Br_Conc
Attribute Label: Br_Conc
Attribute Definition: Bromide concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: Cl_Conc
Attribute Label: Cl_Conc
Attribute Definition: Chloride concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
Attribute Name: Chlorophylla
Attribute Label: Chlorophylla
Attribute Definition: Chlorophyll-a concentration.
Measurement Scale:
Ratio:
Unit:
Standard Unit: milligramsPerLiter
Numeric Domain:
Number Type: real
pH Derivative of the standard SI unit of electrical conductance (specific conductance). micrograms / liter