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Diluting Saline Water in the Solomon River

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Water-Quality Data

USGS and KDHE Data

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment have collected water-quality data for the North and South forks Solomon River upstream of Waconda Lake, Waconda Lake, and the Solomon River downstream of Glen Elder Dam and near Glasco. Table 1 lists the station numbers, locations, and years of available data. In addition to the stations in Table 1, the USGS measures specific conductance periodically at the flow gaging stations but no longer collects water samples on a routine basis for chemical analysis at any of the stations within the study area. Thus, specific conductance data are available for the North Fork Solomon River at Portis, the South Fork Solomon River near Osborne, the Solomon River near Glen Elder, and the Solomon River near Simpson just east of the Mitchell-Cloud county line. The KGS assembled the data for Table 1 into an Excel spreadsheet with a worksheet for each site. Where the water-quality site coincides with a USGS streamflow gaging station, the flow data for the dates of water samples are included in the spreadsheet.

Table 1. Water-quality stations of the USGS and KDHE for surface waters in the study area. The data periods are for records with chloride and sulfate concentration data.

Surface water body Location Agency Station No. Data period
North Fork Solomon watershed
North Fork Solomon River At Portis USGS 6872500 1961-1996
North Fork Solomon River At Portis KDHE 1709 1972 & 1974
North Fork Solomon River At Portis KDHE 014 1975-2003
Twelvemile Creek Near Downs KDHE 674 1993-2001
Oak Creek Near Cawker City USGS 06872700 1962-1970
Oak Creek Near Cawker City KDHE 544 1990-2003
South Fork Solomon watershed
South Fork Solomon River At Osborne USGS 6874000 1961-1994
South Fork Solomon River At Osborne KDHE 1710 1972 & 1974
South Fork Solomon River At Osborne KDHE 015 1975-1989
South Fork Solomon River Below Osborne KDHE 543 1990-2003
Twin Creek Near Corinth KDHE 668 1992-2000
Carr Creek Near Cawker City KDHE 669 1992-2000
Waconda Lake and Solomon River watershed downstream of Glen Elder Dam
Waconda Lake   KDHE 18001-18005 1977-2001
Limestone Creek At Glen Elder USGS 6875800 1962-1970
Limestone Creek At Glen Elder KDHE 667 1991-2001
Solomon River Near Glen Elder USGS 6875900 1963-1983
Solomon River Near Glen Elder KDHE 089 1975-1998
Solomon River At Beloit USGS 6876000 1948-1965
Solomon River At Beloit KDHE 1708 1972 & 1974
Solomon River Near Glasco KDHE 511 1990-2003

Data Collected during the Study

The study included sampling and analysis of river and dam outlet waters to provide supplemental data needed to better characterize the quality of water entering and leaving Waconda Lake and to assess the data quality of analyses obtained by the City of Beloit for the Solomon River supply. The sampling locations selected for the inflow to Waconda Lake were the North Fork Solomon River at the Highway 181 bridge south of Downs and the South Fork Solomon River at the low-water bridge located 1 mile east and 1 and 1/4 miles north of Corinth. The sampling location of the South Fork Solomon River was downstream of the confluence of Twin Creek, which enters the river downstream of the Highway 181 bridge north of Corinth. The outflow sampling site for Waconda Reservoir was located on the south side of the river at the end of the outflow structure just downstream of Glen Elder Dam. Water samples from the Solomon River at Beloit were from the raw water line of the City. A total of 12 samples were collected monthly at each site during the course of one-year. Billinger of the DWR collected 11 of the sample sets (or obtained a sample that the City of Beloit collected from their raw water supply) and Whittemore of the KGS collected one sample set. Whittemore also collected a water sample from the Solomon River a couple miles upstream of Beloit, and directly from the river at the low-head dam near where the City raw water line takes water from the river during the same hour in which the raw water line in the water plant was sampled.

The samples were taken or shipped to the KGS for analysis. The KGS analyzed all of the water samples for specific conductance and chloride and sulfate concentrations. The analyses have a high level of accuracy based on the careful attention given to optimizing the instrumental analysis conditions for the samples and other quality assurance and quality control procedures. The KGS laboratory participates in the USGS Analytical Evaluation Program for Standard Reference Samples each year, and has consistently had high agreement of its analytical results with the averages of those published for the reference waters based on the analyses of many selected laboratories in the U.S. that participate in the program. The estimated maximum errors in the accuracy of specific conductance, and chloride and sulfate concentrations are 2%, 3%, and 4%, respectively. The sample collection data and chemical results are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. Location and collection information and chemical data for water samples collected for the study.

KGS
no.		 Project
no.		 Sample location Sample source Descriptive
location		 Sample
date		 Sample
time		 Sp.C.
μS/cm		 Cl
mg/L		 SO4
mg/L		 SO4/Cl
ratio
020188 SOL-001 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 5/21/02 16:10 1185 78.2 241 3.08
020192 SOL-005 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 6/12/02 15:45 1160 71.4 228 3.19
020222 SOL-009 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 7/18/02 14:07 1045 65.5 211 3.22
020260 SOL-015 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 8/13/02 15:15 860 53.7 173 3.22
020264 SOL-019 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 9/12/02 13:45 1080 63.0 231 3.67
020275 SOL-023 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 10/28/02 10:10 1090 60.6 212 3.50
020279 SOL-027 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 11/22/02 11:01 1170 64.9 231 3.56
030000 SOL-031 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 12/30/02 12:30 1160 69.0 226 3.28
030020 SOL-035 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 1/31/03 13:53 1040 59.9 209 3.49
030024 SOL-039 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 2/20/03 10:06 1115 69.0 225 3.26
030051 SOL-043 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 3/25/03 11:31 1085 72.4 208 2.87
030055 SOL-047 06-11W-34BBBC N Fork Solomon R At Downs 4/16/03 11:20 1075 69.9 202 2.89
 
020189 SOL-010 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 5/21/02 16:30 1495 138 328 2.38
020193 SOL-024 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 6/12/02 16:00 1345 128 307 2.40
020223 SOL-028 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 7/18/02 14:20 1340 131 310 2.37
020261 SOL-032 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 8/13/02 15:25 1140 107 284 2.65
020265 SOL-036 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 9/12/02 14:00 1380 128 330 2.58
020276 SOL-040 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 10/28/02 9:58 1340 111 272 2.45
020280 SOL-044 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 11/22/02 11:15 1410 122 315 2.58
030001 SOL-048 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 12/30/02 12:50 1400 119 303 2.55
030021 SOL-002 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 1/31/03 14:10 1245 113 266 2.35
030025 SOL-006 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 2/20/03 9:35 1440 131 327 2.50
030052 SOL-016 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 3/25/03 11:23 1550 152 309 2.03
030056 SOL-020 07-11W-22ADAD S Fork Solomon R Near Corinth 4/16/03 11:00 1370 122 302 2.48
 
020190 SOL-003 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 5/21/02 15:30 1120 98.1 265 2.70
020194 SOL-007 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 6/12/02 15:15 1115 101 277 2.74
020224 SOL-011 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 7/18/02 16:36 1100 101 267 2.64
020262 SOL-017 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 8/13/02 14:40 1090 100 272 2.72
020266 SOL-021 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 9/12/02 13:15 1105 107 288 2.69
020277 SOL-025 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 10/28/02 10:38 1150 110 278 2.53
020281 SOL-029 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 11/22/02 12:02 1150 112 295 2.63
030002 SOL-033 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 12/30/02 13:30 1150 109 285 2.61
030022 SOL-037 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 1/31/03 14:48 1180 112 304 2.71
030026 SOL-041 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 2/20/03 10:33 1160 112 303 2.71
030053 SOL-045 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 3/25/03 11:57 1170 108 277 2.56
030057 SOL-049 06-09W-27CDCA Solomon River Glen Elder Dam 4/16/03 11:45 1175 111 293 2.64
 
020225 SOL-012 07-08W-12DAAA Solomon River 2 mi west of Beloit 7/18/02 16:05 1115 103 267 2.59
 
020191 SOL-004 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 5/21/02 13:15 1475 179 275 1.54
020195 SOL-008 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 6/12/02 14:00 1225 128 280 2.19
020226 SOL-013 07-07W-09CACC Solomon River River at Beloit intake 7/18/02 15:45 1205 122 274 2.25
020227 SOL-014 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 7/18/02 15:32 1205 121 274 2.26
020263 SOL-018 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 8/13/02 10:00 1130 119 272 2.29
020267 SOL-022 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 9/12/02 9:00 1285 144 303 2.10
020278 SOL-026 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 10/28/02   1360 163 263 1.61
020282 SOL-030 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 11/22/02   1475 179 304 1.70
030003 SOL-034 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 12/30/02 10:00 1550 196 310 1.58
030023 SOL-038 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 1/31/03 11:30 1460 181 302 1.67
030027 SOL-042 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 2/20/03 10:00 1500 192 310 1.61
030054 SOL-046 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 3/25/03 10:00 1480 175 283 1.62
030058 SOL-050 07-07W-09CBAC Solomon River Beloit water plant 4/16/03 9:30 1500 186 301 1.62

The sample taken from the raw water line in the Beloit water plant at 3:32 pm and the sample collected directly from the Solomon River near the water intake pipe of the city at 3:45 pm on July 18, 2002 had the same specific conductance and sulfate values. The chloride measurements differed by only 1 mg/L or less than 1% of the value. This confirmed that there was no change in these parameters during the travel from the river to the water plant. Therefore, sampling from the raw water line in the water plant was considered as representative of the river water.

City of Beloit Data

The City of Beloit measures the chloride concentration daily and the sulfate content weekly in the raw water supply from the Solomon River. The DWR obtained these data from the City for the period 1988-2003, assembled them into a spreadsheet, and sent them to the KGS for use in the study. The KGS assessed the accuracy of the data by comparing the KGS analyses (see section below) with the City measurements. Table 3 lists the KGS and Beloit chloride and sulfate concentration measurements and ratios along with the flow of the Solomon River below Glen Elder Dam. The Beloit sulfate determination closest in time to the KGS measurement is listed in the table. The flow of the Solomon River below Glen Elder Dam is also included for the dates of the period of sample analyses and one day previous to the earliest date of analysis to account for the approximate flow time from the USGS gaging station to Beloit.

Table 3. Comparison of KGS and City of Beloit measurements of chloride and sulfate concentrations during 2002-2003. Flow at USGS gaging station below Glen Elder Dam.

Date Flow
ft3/sec		 KGS
Cl
mg/L		 Beloit
Cl
mg/L		 Beloit Cl/
KGS Cl		 KGS
SO4
mg/L		 Beloit
SO4
mg/L		 Beloit SO4/
KGS SO4		 KGS
SO4/Cl		 Beloit
SO4/Cl
5/19/02 19   220            
5/20/02 19   220     275     1.25
5/21/02 18 179 218 1.22 275   1.00 1.54  
 
6/9/02 53   186            
6/10/02 46   158     387     2.45
6/11/02 35   154            
6/12/02 30 128 158 1.23 280   1.38 2.19  
 
7/14/02 121   142            
7/15/02 119   146     265     1.82
7/16/02 118   140            
7/17/02 119   154            
7/18/02 129 121 152 1.26 274   0.97 2.26  
 
8/11/02 96   152            
8/12/02 91   150     231     1.54
8/13/02 74 119 148 1.24 272   0.85 2.29  
 
9/8/02 46   182            
9/9/02 46   190     227     1.19
9/10/02 46   162            
9/11/02 40   178            
9/12/02 33 144 160 1.11 303   0.75 2.10  
 
10/27/02 17   274            
10/28/02 17 163 210 1.29 263 385 1.46 1.61 1.83
 
11/21/02 17   232            
11/22/02 17 179 210 1.17 304   0.96 1.70  
11/23/02 17   212            
11/24/02 17   222            
11/25/02 17   220     293     1.33
 
12/29/02 15   260            
12/30/02 15 196 232 1.18 310 376 1.21 1.58 1.62
 
1/30/03 15   228            
1/31/03 15 181 226 1.25 302   1.16 1.67  
2/1/03 15   186            
2/2/03 15   194            
2/3/03 16   186     350     1.88
 
2/16/03 17   216            
2/17/03 17   222     358     1.61
2/18/03 18   216            
2/19/03 17   224            
2/20/03 17 192 222 1.16 310   1.15 1.61  
 
3/23/03 17   230            
3/24/03 18   240     313     1.30
3/25/03 18 175 242 1.38 283   1.11 1.62  
 
4/13/03 18   212            
4/14/03 18   206     352     1.71
4/15/03 18   210            
4/16/03 19 186 208 1.12 301   1.17 1.62  
 
Mean   164 199 1.22 290 318 1.10 1.82 1.63

There were no large changes in flow in the river during the sampling periods listed in Table 3 based on comparing the flow at the station below Glen Elder Dam for the dates one day previous to the collection of KGS and Beloit sulfate samples. The greatest flow change that might have made some difference in water quality and, thus, the sulfate concentrations used for the KGS and Beloit comparisons, was from June 9 to 11, 2002. All other day-to-day changes in flow ranged from less than 1 ft3/sec to 6 ft3/sec. The flow changes during the time between the sampling on the same day for the chloride measurements of the KGS and City were too small to make a significant difference in the results.

The chloride concentration determinations by the City of Beloit were consistently higher (11-38%) and averaged 22% greater than the KGS values. Figure 2 displays the relationship between the KGS and Beloit values. The equation for the linear regression on the graph can be used to estimate the true chloride concentration given the Beloit chloride measurement. Adjustment of the Beloit chloride measurements based on division by 1.22 also gives values close to those from the regression equation. The sulfate content measurements by Beloit varied substantially relative to the KGS determinations; most of the values were greater and some values were less than those of the KGS. The Beloit sulfate measurements averaged 10% higher than those of the KGS. Although a small part of the sulfate concentration differences between Beloit and the KGS could have been derived from flow differences at the times of sampling, most of the differences are due to analytical errors. The mean sulfate/chloride ratio for the Beloit samples for which the City determined both chloride and sulfate on the same sample (Table 3) is 1.63, which is 11% lower than the mean ratio for the KGS analyses. This difference is consistent with the 12% difference between the 22% and 10% larger values of the chloride and sulfate values of the City in comparison with the KGS.

Figure 2. Comparison of KGS and Beloit chloride determinations during 2002-2003. The line and equation are for the linear regression of the data.

Difference between KGS and Beloit measurements are fitted to a straight line onthis scattter plot. KGS Cl = 0.763 x Beloit Cl + 11.8

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Kansas Geological Survey, Geohydrology
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Placed online Jan. 17, 2006
URL=http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Hydro/Publications/2003/OFR03_49/03_quality.html