Overview Metadata for the Data used in te Conceptual and Numerical Model of the Colorado River (1990-2016)

This data release contains six different datasets that were used in the report SIR 2018-5108. These datasets contain discharge data, discrete dissolved-solids data, quality-control discrete dissolved data, and computed mean dissolved solids data that were collected at various locations between the Hoover Dam and the Imperial Dam.
Study Sites:
Site 1: Colorado River below Hoover Dam
Site 2: Bill Williams River near Parker
Site 3: Colorado River below Parker Dam
Site 4: CRIR Main Canal
Site 5: Palo Verde Canal
Site 6: Colorado River at Palo Verde Dam
Site 7: CRIR Lower Main Drain
Site 8: CRIR Upper Levee Drain
Site 9: PVID Outfall Drain
Site 10: Colorado River above Imperial Dam
Discrete Dissolved-solids Dataset and Replicate Samples for Discrete Dissolved-solids Dataset:
The Bureau of Reclamation collected discrete water-quality samples for the parameter of dissolved-solids (sum of constituents). Dissolved-solids, measured in milligrams per liter, are the sum of the following constituents: bicarbonate, calcium, carbonate, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, nitrate, potassium, silicon dioxide, sodium, and sulfate.  These samples were collected on a monthly to bimonthly basis at various time periods between 1990 and 2016 at Sites 1-5 and Sites 7-10. No data were collected for Site 6: Colorado River at Palo Verde Dam.
The Bureau of Reclamation and the USGS collected discrete quality-control replicate samples for the parameter of dissolved-solids, sum of constituents measured in milligrams per liter. The USGS collected discrete quality-control replicate samples in 2002 and 2003 and the Bureau of Reclamation collected discrete quality-control replicate samples in 2016 and 2017. Listed below are the sites where these samples were collected at and which agency collected the samples.  
Site 3: Colorado River below Parker Dam: USGS and Reclamation
Site 4: CRIR Main Canal: Reclamation
Site 5: Palo Verde Canal: Reclamation
Site 7: CRIR Lower Main Drain: Reclamation
Site 8: CRIR Upper Levee Drain: Reclamation
Site 9: PVID Outfall Drain: Reclamation
Site 10: Colorado River above Imperial Dam: USGS and Reclamation
Monthly Mean Datasets and Mean Monthly Datasets:
Monthly mean discharge data (cfs), flow weighted monthly mean dissolved-solids concentrations (mg/L) data and monthly mean dissolved-solids load data from 1990 to 2016 were computed using raw data from the USGS and the Bureau of Reclamation. This data were computed for all 10 sites. Flow weighted monthly mean dissolved-solids concentration and monthly mean dissolved-solids load were not computed for Site 2: Bill Williams River near Parker.
The monthly mean datasets that were calculated for each month for the period between 1990 and 2016 were used to compute the mean monthly discharge and the mean monthly dissolved-solids load for each of the 12 months within a year. Each monthly mean was weighted by how many days were in the month and then averaged for each of the twelve months. This was computed for all 10 sites except mean monthly dissolved-solids load were not computed at Site 2: Bill Williams River near Parker. Site 8a: Colorado River between Parker and Palo Verde Valleys was computed by summing the data from sites 6, 7 and 8.
Bill Williams Daily Mean Discharge, Instantaneous Dissolved-solids Concentration, and Daily Means Dissolved-solids Load Dataset:
Daily mean discharge (cfs), instantaneous solids concentration (mg/L), and daily mean dissolved solids load were calculated using raw data collected by the USGS and the Bureau of Reclamation. This data were calculated for Site 2: Bill Williams River near Parker for the period of January 1990 to February 2016.
Palo Verde Irrigation District Outfall Drain Mean Daily Discharge Dataset:
The Bureau of Reclamation collected mean daily discharge data for the period of 01/01/2005 to 09/30/2016 at the Palo Verde Irrigation District (PVID) outfall drain using a stage-discharge relationship.

Tags: arizona, california, colorado-river, dissolved-solids, hoover-dam, imperial-dam, model, nevada, parker-dam, stream-discharge, usgs-5aa042f2e4b0b1c392e6abff, water-quality
Organization: Department of the Interior