U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations 

Report 2007–5221

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood Creek, Taggart 

Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National 

Park, Wyoming, 2006

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations 

Report 2007–5221
423

1

756

Front cover photographs:

Site TC1 on Taggart Creek in June 2006 (photograph by 

Jon Mason)

Site GC2 on Granite Creek in June 2006 (photograph by 

Jon Mason)

Site CC1 on Cottonwood Creek in July 2006.

Site CC2 on Cottonwood Creek in July 2006.

Site LC1 on Lake Creek in August 2006. 

Site GC2 on Granite Creek in August 2006.

Site CC2 (dry) on Cottonwood Creek in October 2006.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.
Water-Quality Characteristics of 

Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake 

Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton 

National Park, Wyoming, 2006

By Melanie L. Clark, Jerrod D. Wheeler, and Susan E. O’Ney

Prepared in cooperation with the National Park Service

Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5221

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Mark D. Myers, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2007

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Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report.

Suggested citation:

Clark, M.L., Wheeler, J.D., and O’Ney, S.E., 2007, Water-quality characteristics of Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, 

Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007–5221, 43 p.
iii

Contents

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Study Area..............................................................................................................................................2

Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................4

Methods...........................................................................................................................................................4

Water-Quality Characteristics ...................................................................................................................11

Synoptic Study.....................................................................................................................................11

Cottonwood Creek .....................................................................................................................25

Taggart Creek .............................................................................................................................28

Lake Creek...................................................................................................................................31

Granite Creek..............................................................................................................................35

Comparison of Synoptic Study Results ...........................................................................................38

Summary........................................................................................................................................................41

References....................................................................................................................................................41

Figures

1. Map showing location of sampling sites in the Snake River headwaters area, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.......................................................................................3

2. Graph showing streamflow and distribution of sampling events for Granite Creek, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006 ...........................................................................11

3. Map showing distribution of land cover in the Cottonwood Creek drainage basin, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.....................................................................................26

4. Graphs showing streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, 

and suspended-sediment concentrations; and suspended-sediment loads for 

Cottonwood Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006........................................27

5. Map showing distribution of land cover in the Taggart Creek drainage basin, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.....................................................................................29

6. Graphs showing streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, 

and suspended-sediment concentrations; and suspended-sediment loads for 

Taggart Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006................................................30

7. Map showing distribution of land cover in the Lake Creek drainage basin, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.....................................................................................33

8. Graphs showing streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, 

and suspended-sediment concentrations; and suspended-sediment loads for 

Lake Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006 .....................................................34

9. Map showing distribution of land cover in the Granite Creek drainage basin, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.....................................................................................36

10. Graphs showing streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and 

suspended-sediment concentrations; and suspended-sediment loads for Granite 

Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006...............................................................37
iv

11. Graphs showing streamflow and dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, 

total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment concentrations for eastern 

streams and western streams in the Snake River headwaters area, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2002–06.....................................................................40

Tables

1. Sampling sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and 

Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming ............................................................4

2. Distribution of rock types for drainage basins upstream from sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, 

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.......................................................................................5

3. Stream properties measured in the field and inorganic constituents for which 

water-quality samples were analyzed on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, 

Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.....................7

4. Pesticide compounds, type, and reporting levels for which water-quality 

samples were analyzed on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, 

and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006...........................................8

5. State of Wyoming water-quality criteria for surface waters and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality criteria for selected constituents....................10

6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed 

in water-quality samples collected at sampling sites on Cottonwood Creek, 

Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, 

Wyoming, 2006.............................................................................................................................12

Conversion Factors, Datum, and Abbreviations

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 2.54 centimeter (cm)

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume

cubic foot (ft3) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3) 

acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m3)

acre-foot (acre-ft) 0.001233 cubic hectometer (hm3) 

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

Mass

ton per day (ton/d) 0.9072 metric ton per day
Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

°C=(°F-32)/1.8

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29).

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).

Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

Specific conductance is given in microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius (μS/cm at 

25°C).

Concentrations of chemical constituents in water are given either in milligrams per liter (mg/L) 

or micrograms per liter (μg/L)

Water year is the 12-month period from October 1 through September 30 and is designated 

by the year in which it ends. Thus, the water year ending September 30, 2006 is called water 

year 2006. 

Abbreviated Water-Quality Units

mg/L milligrams per liter

μg/L micrograms per liter

μm micrometer

μS/cm at 25°C microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius

Abbreviations

GC/MS gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

NAWQA National Water-Quality Assessment

NPS National Park Service

NWIS National Water Information System

NWQL National Water Quality Laboratory

USEPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

USGS U.S. Geological Survey
Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood Creek, 

Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand 

Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006

By Melanie L. Clark1, Jerrod D. Wheeler1, and Susan E. O’Ney2

1

 U.S. Geological Survey

2

 National Park Service

Abstract

To address water-resource management objectives of 

the National Park Service in Grand Teton National Park, the 

U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National 

Park Service has conducted water-quality sampling on 

streams in the Snake River headwaters area. A synoptic 

study of streams in the western part of the headwaters area 

was conducted during 2006. Sampling sites were located on 

Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite 

Creek. Sampling events in June, July, August, and October 

were selected to characterize different hydrologic conditions 

and different recreational-use periods. Stream samples were 

collected and analyzed for field measurements, major-ion 

chemistry, nutrients, selected trace elements, pesticides, and 

suspended sediment. 

Water types of Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, 

Lake Creek, and Granite Creek were calcium bicarbonate. 

Dissolved-solids concentrations were dilute in Cottonwood 

Creek and Taggart Creek, which drain Precambrian-era rocks 

and materials derived from these rocks. Dissolved-solids 

concentrations ranged from 11 to 31 milligrams per liter 

for samples collected from Cottonwood Creek and Taggart 

Creek. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 55 to 

130 milligrams per liter for samples collected from Lake 

Creek and Granite Creek, which drain Precambrian-era rocks 

and Paleozoic-era rocks and materials derived from these 

rocks. Nutrient concentrations generally were small in samples 

collected from Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, 

and Granite Creek. Dissolved-nitrate concentrations were the 

largest in Taggart Creek. The Taggart Creek drainage basin has 

the largest percentage of barren land cover of the basins, and 

subsurface waters of talus slopes may contribute to dissolvednitrate concentrations in Taggart Creek. Pesticide concentrations, trace-element concentrations, and suspended-sediment 

concentrations generally were less than laboratory reporting 

levels or were small for all samples.

Water-quality characteristics of streams in the western 

part of the Snake River headwaters area were compared to 

water-quality characteristics of streams sampled in 2002 in 

the eastern part of the headwaters area. The median dissolvedsolids concentration (55 milligrams per liter) for samples 

collected from western streams was smaller than the median 

dissolved-solids concentration (125 milligrams per liter) for 

samples collected from eastern streams. The small dissolvedsolids concentrations in the western streams are a result of 

the large areas underlain by resistant Precambrian-era rocks 

that compose the Teton Range compared to the more erodable 

Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks that compose the mountains 

in the eastern part of the headwaters area. The Teton Range 

also receives higher annual precipitation than the mountains in 

the east. The median total-nitrogen concentration (0.17 milligram per liter) in samples collected from streams in the 

western part of the Snake River headwaters area was larger 

than the median concentration (0.10 milligram per liter) for 

samples collected from streams in the eastern part of the 

headwaters area, in part because of larger dissolved-nitrate 

concentrations in samples from the western streams compared 

to the eastern streams. In contrast, total-phosphorus concentrations generally were larger for samples collected from eastern 

streams. Large total-phosphorus concentrations in the eastern 

streams were associated with large suspended-sediment 

concentrations. The source of the phosphorus and sediment 

probably is Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks of marine origin 

that underlie parts of the eastern drainage basins.

Introduction

Nearly four million people each year visit Grand Teton 

National Park in northwestern Wyoming because of its 

stunning mountain scenery, wilderness lakes, and abundant 

wildlife. Surface-water resources (including Jackson Lake, 

high alpine lakes, and streams) cover more than 10 percent of 

the Park (Mott, 1998). The Snake River and its tributaries are 

important features of Grand Teton National Park (fig. 1), and 

visitors use the streams for recreation, consume fish caught 

from the streams, and enjoy their aesthetic qualities. The 
Snake River and its tributaries are designated as “outstanding waters” (Class 1) through Grand Teton National Park 

(Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, 2001). The 

maintenance of the Park’s good quality waters is one of the 

primary management objectives for the National Park Service 

(NPS) (Mott, 1998).

To address water-resource management objectives of 

the NPS, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the NPS, has conducted various surface-water 

investigations in Grand Teton National Park. A summary of 

water resources of Grand Teton National Park by Cox (1974) 

represents one of the early cooperative investigations. More 

recently, water-quality sampling on the Snake River regularly 

has been conducted to characterize water quality in the Snake 

River. Discrete water-quality samples were collected from 

the Snake River at Flagg Ranch in Grand Teton National 

Park as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program during 1992–95 (Clark, 1997; 

Clark and others, 1998). Additional discrete water-quality 

sampling on the Snake River at Flagg Ranch and at Moose, 

Wyo., was conducted during 1995–2004. In 2002, continuous 

monitoring for dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, 

and stream temperature was established on the Snake River at 

Moose, Wyo. The continuous monitoring on the Snake River 

is ongoing (2007). A synoptic study of five tributaries (Pilgrim 

Creek, Pacific Creek, Buffalo Fork, Spread Creek, and Ditch 

Creek) was conducted during 2002 to characterize baseline 

water quality in the eastern part of the Snake River headwaters 

area. Water-quality characteristics of the Snake River and five 

eastern tributaries to the Snake River are summarized in Clark 

and others (2004). Other USGS and NPS surface-water-quality 

studies include an investigation of bacteria sources in high 

recreational use basins (Farag and others, 2001) and a sensitivity analysis of alpine and subalpine lakes in Grand Teton 

National Park to acidification from atmospheric deposition 

(Nanus and others, 2005).

To further characterize stream-water quality in Grand 

Teton National Park, a synoptic study of four streams (Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek) 

was conducted during 2006 in the western part of the Snake 

River headwaters area. Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, 

Lake Creek, and Granite Creek drain much of the western part 

of Grand Teton National Park downstream from Jackson Lake 

(fig. 1, table 1). Stream samples were collected and analyzed 

for field measurements, major-ion chemistry, nutrients, 

selected trace elements, pesticides, and suspended sediment. 

Baseline water-quality information from these studies will be 

used by the NPS to assess changes that may occur in water 

quality in the water resources of Grand Teton National Park.

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this report is to describe the waterquality characteristics of selected streams in the Snake River 

headwaters area that flow through Grand Teton National Park. 

Specifically, this report describes (1) land cover and baseline 

water-quality conditions for streamflow, major-ion chemistry, 

nutrients, selected trace elements, pesticides, and suspended 

sediment for sampling sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart 

Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek during a synoptic study 

in 2006; and (2) a comparison of results of the synoptic study 

of the western streams conducted during 2006 in the Snake 

River headwaters area with results of a synoptic study of 

eastern streams conducted during 2002. Two sampling sites 

were selected on each of the streams for the synoptic study. 

Sampling events in June, July, August, and October were 

selected to characterize different hydrologic conditions and 

different recreational-use periods by visitors to Grand Teton 

National Park.

Study Area

Grand Teton National Park is in Teton County in northwestern Wyoming and lies within the Middle Rocky Mountain 

Province (Omernik, 1987) and entirely within the Snake 

River Basin. The Teton Range, which bounds the Park to the 

west, is an upthrown, tilted fault-block. The steepness of the 

Teton Range along the eastern fault makes the mountains the 

focal point of Grand Teton National Park, rising more than 

7,000 feet above the valley floor. Altitudes in the study area 

range from about 6,400 feet (ft) above the National Geodetic 

Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) at site GC2 on Granite 

Creek to 13,770 ft above NGVD 29 at the summit of the 

Grand Teton. Most of the rest of Grand Teton National Park 

is within the Jackson Hole structural basin, a folded and 

faulted downwarp of deposits that range in thickness from 

4,000 to 7,000 feet (Nolan and Miller, 1995). The central 

part of Jackson Hole tilted to the west as the western edge 

of the valley block moved downward along the Teton fault 

system (Love and others, 1972). Much of the park, including 

Jackson Hole, has been covered by glaciers that originated in 

the mountainous areas and generally flowed southward during 

several periods of glaciation.

The geology of the study area includes Precambrianera rocks, Paleozoic-era rocks, and Quaternary-period 

surficial deposits (Love and Christiansen, 1985). The Teton 

Range consists of a core of Precambrian-era igneous and 

metamorphic rocks overlain by westward dipping Paleozoicera sedimentary rocks (Cox, 1974). Precambrian-era rocks 

include granite gneiss, granitic rocks, metamorphosed mafic 

and ultramafic rocks, and metasedimentary and metavolcanic 

rocks (Love and others, 1992). Paleozoic-era sedimentary 

rocks include the Bighorn Dolomite, Gallatin Limestone, Gros 

Ventre Formation, Flathead Sandstone, Madison Limestone, 

and Darby Formation (Love and others, 1992). Quaternaryperiod surficial deposits are in all of the drainage basins (Love 

and others, 1992). Alluvium and colluvium are present in 

stream valleys as flood-plain deposits, with alluvial fans along 

the margins of Jackson Hole where streams enter the valley, 

and as glacial-outwash material that has been reworked by 

   Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 1. Location of sampling sites in the Snake River headwaters area, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

River

River

Ventre

Gros

Rive r

Hoback

Snak e

Snak e

Snak r e Rive

River

Mosquito

Moose

Creek

Creek

Creek

Teton

Teto n

Moose

Fork

North

River

Creek

Conant Creek

Creek

Creek

Granite

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Spread

Ditch

Creek

Buffalo

Buffalo

Buffalo

Fork

Pacif

P

ic

ilgrim

Creek

Atlantic

Creek

Creek

Creek

Creek

Coulter

Wolverine

Fork

Fork

South

North

Fork

North

Fish

Bacon

Cottonwood

Crystal

Creek

Cache

Horse

Fall

Jackson

Lake

Leigh

Lake

Grassy

 Lake

Jenny

Lake

Two Ocean

 Lake

Emma Matilda

 Lake

Phelps

 Lake

Lower Slide

Lake

Taggart

 Lake

Taggart Cr

Cottonwood Cr

Fish

Creek

Canyon

Granite Creek

Death

GraniteCanyon

 Lake

Creek

111o00a 110o45a 110o30a 110o15a

44o00a

43o45a

43o30a

0

0

5

5

10 MILES

Jackson

Moran

Absaroka

R ange

Washakie

Range

Teton Wilderness

Moose

Kelly

22

189 187

187

26

26

26

89

89

287

287

National

Elk Refuge

T A

R

G

H

E

E

N

A

T I O

N

A

L

F

O

R

E

S

T

IDAHO

WYOMING

B R I D G E R - T E T O N

N A T I O N A L

F O R E S T

Pinyon Peak

Highlands

Mount Leidy

J

Highlands ackson

Hole

T

e t o

n

 R

a

n

g

e

John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Memorial Parkway

10 KILOMETERS

GRAND TETON

NATIONAL

PARK

Wilson

MooseWilson

Road

LC1

Flagg

Ranch

GC2

GC1

LC2

TC1

TC2

CC2

CC1

Base from Redistricting Census 

2000 TIGER/Line Files, U.S. Census 

Bureau, 2001

Public land survey system modified 

from Wyoming Water Resources 

Center digital data, 1994

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

Standard parallels 43°N and 44°N,

Central meridian 110°30aW

EXPLANATION

Sampling site and

 number (table 1)

Sampling site for

 eastern tributaries

 (from Clark and others, 2004)

Yellowstone

National Park

WYOMING

Teton County

National Park

Grand Teton

TC2

Introduction 
Table 1. Sampling sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Site 

number 

(fig. 1)

U.S. Geological 

Survey 

station number

Site name

Drainage-basin 

area 

(square miles)

CC1 13012800 Cottonwood Creek at outlet of Jenny Lake near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, 

Wyo.

48.8

TC1 434222110454601 Taggart Creek near inlet to Taggart Lake near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, 

Wyo.

5.5

TC2 13012900 Taggart Creek near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. 6.7

CC2 13013000 Cottonwood Creek near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. 72.3

LC1 433908110482201 Lake Creek near inlet to Phelps Lake near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. 13.2

LC2 433738110465301 Lake Creek at Moose-Wilson Road near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo. 15.6

GC1 433655110494101 Granite Creek near mouth of Granite Canyon near Moose, Grand Teton National Park, 

Wyo.

13.7

GC2 13016305 Granite Creek above Granite Creek supplemental near Moose, Grand Teton National 

Park, Wyo.

14.9

streams. Glacial deposits are present, including drift deposits, which are associated with morainal features (Cox, 1974). 

Small glaciers that flowed east from the Teton Range melted 

and formed glacial lakes (including Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, 

and Phelps Lakes) behind the moraines. Gravel, pediment, fan 

deposits, and landslide deposits (including talus and related 

deposits) also are in the study area. Distribution of rocks types 

for the drainage basins (table 2) were determined using digital 

drainage area boundaries and a digital version of bedrock 

geology (Green and Drouillard, 1994) that was based on the 

geologic map of Wyoming by Love and Christiansen (1985).

Of the four western streams in the synoptic study, 

Cottonwood Creek is the only stream that is a direct tributary 

to the Snake River. Taggart Creek is a tributary to Cottonwood 

Creek. Lake Creek is a tributary to Fish Creek, a tributary 

to the Snake River downstream from Grand Teton National 

Park. Granite Creek is a tributary to Lake Creek. The general 

hydrology of the streams is typical of mountainous areas in 

Wyoming. Peak streamflows occur in late spring or early 

summer with the melting of the annual snowpack. Ground 

water generally sustains flows in the streams throughout the 

year, although reaches of some of the streams in the lower 

parts of their basins may lose water to the coarse Quaternary 

deposits of Jackson Hole and occasionally become dry for 

short periods.

The study area has cold winters and warm summers. 

Average monthly temperatures at the Moose, Wyo., climate 

station ranged from –10.3°C in January to 16.0°C in July 

(Western Regional Climate Center, 2007) during the period 

1958–2006, based on the average of monthly mean minimum 

and maximum temperatures. Average temperatures decrease 

with increasing altitude. Annual precipitation increases with 

increasing altitude. Annual precipitation, which primarily falls 

in the form of snow, ranges from about 21 inches near Moose, 

Wyo., (Western Regional Climate Center, 2007) to more than 

70 inches in the Teton Range (Oregon Climate Service, 2007).

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the people who assisted with the data 

collection and preparation of this report. Thanks are extended 

to John Clune, formerly with the NPS, Ty Blacklock with the 

USGS, and Jon Mason and Jodi Norris, formerly with the 

USGS, for collecting or compiling data used in this report. 

Thanks also are extended to Kathy Tonnessen of the NPS and 

to Cheryl Miller and Janet Carter of the USGS for providing 

reviews of the manuscript. Suzanne Roberts assisted in the 

preparation of the illustrations and layout of the report.

Methods

Field measurements for the synoptic study sampling were 

made onsite using USGS standard methods as described in 

Rantz and others (1982) and the National Field Manual for the 

Collection of Water-Quality Data (U.S. Geological Survey, 

1997–2007). Stream properties measured in the field included 

streamflow, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, water 

temperature, and alkalinity (table 3). Samples generally were 

collected with depth-integrating samplers. A DH–81 sampler 

with an equal-width-increment or multiple-vertical sampling 

technique was used to cross-sectionally composite samples. A 

few samples during the synoptic study were collected using a 

 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Table 2. Distribution of rock types for drainage basins upstream from sampling sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, 

and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (Love and Christiansen, 1985; Green and Drouillard, 1994).

[Some rows may not sum to 100.0 due to rounding. --, not applicable]

Site 

number 

(fig. 1)

Precambrian-era rocks

(percent)

Paleozoic-era rocks 

(percent)

Quaternary-period surficial deposits 

(percent)

Granite 

gneiss

Granitic 

rocks

Metamorphosed 

mafic and 

ultramafic 

rocks

Metasedimentary 

and 

metavolcanic 

rocks

Bighorn 

Dolomite, 

Gallatin 

Limestone, 

Gros Ventre 

Formation, 

and 

Flathead 

Sandstone

Madison 

Limestone 

and Darby 

Formation

Alluvium 

and 

colluvium

Glacial 

deposits

Gravel, 

pediment, 

and fan 

deposits

Landslide 

deposits

CC1 2.1 32.0 -- 20.8 0.60 -- 4.7 18.5 11.5 9.9

TC1 -- -- -- 61.3 1.5 -- -- 2.6 -- 34.6

TC2 -- -- -- 50.4 1.2 -- -- 19.0 1.3 28.2

CC2 1.4 25.6 -- 25.0 .50 -- 4.9 18.3 15.0 9.3

LC1 -- 3.8 -- 40.2 33.7 1.1 -- 5.3 -- 16.0

LC2 -- 3.4 -- 37.7 30.0 1.0 -- 13.1 -- 15.0

GC1 -- -- 10.5 7.8 28.4 25.2 -- 14.9 -- 13.2

GC2 -- -- 11.7 7.0 25.4 22.5 2.6 17.6 -- 13.2

hand-dip method from the centroid of flow when the streams 

were too shallow for a sampler. Pesticide samples were 

collected using a hand-dip method.

Samples were composited in a churn splitter and 

processed, preserved, and shipped according to USGS 

standard methods (U.S. Geological Survey, 1997–2007). 

Samples for major-ion chemistry, nutrients, and trace elements 

were filtered onsite using a 0.45-micrometer (μm) disposable capsule filter. Samples for pesticides were filtered at 

the laboratory through a 0.70-μm filter. Data for filtered 

constituents are reported as dissolved, and data for unfiltered 

constituents are reported as total in this report. Samples were 

analyzed for major-ion chemistry, nutrients, trace elements, 

and pesticides at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in Lakewood, Colo. Sediment samples were 

analyzed for suspended concentrations at the USGS sediment 

laboratory in Helena, Mont. (Lambing and Dodge, 1993).

Analyses for major-ion chemistry (table 3) were 

conducted using the inductively coupled plasma method with 

atomic emission spectrometry and ion-exchange chromatography as described in Fishman and Friedman (1989) and 

Fishman (1993). Major-ion analyses also included dissolvedsolids concentrations, which often are used as a general indicator of stream-water quality. The analysis of dissolved solids 

measures the residue on evaporation at 180°C of all of the 

dissolved constituents, with the primary contributors being the 

major ions and nonionic silicon that is reported in terms of the 

equivalent concentration of silica.

The quality of major-ion analyses was checked using 

ratios of dissolved solids and specific conductance, ratios 

of cations and specific conductance, ratios of anions and 

specific conductance, and ion balances. Results were considered to be of good quality. The median percent difference 

for the ion balances for samples from the western streams 

was –0.83 percent. The interquartile range was –2.2 to 

0.95 percent. The largest percent difference was –12.8 percent. 

These results indicate a slight negative bias in some analytical results. The source of the negative bias may be alkalinity 

values, which may have been slightly overtitrated because of 

the small concentrations present in samples. Large percent 

differences in ion balances were associated with samples that 

had small dissolved-ion concentrations. Small deviations in 

precision of laboratory measurements can result in relatively 

large percent difference in samples having small dissolved-ion 

concentrations.

Nutrient analyses included nitrogen and phosphorus species (table 3). Colorimetry and Kjeldahl digestion 

methods for dissolved and total nutrients are described in 

Fishman (1993) and Patton and Truitt (2000). Nitrogen 

species analyzed included dissolved ammonia plus organic 

nitrogen as nitrogen, total ammonia plus organic nitrogen as 

nitrogen, dissolved ammonia as nitrogen, dissolved nitrite 

plus nitrate as nitrogen (referred to as dissolved nitrate in this 

report), and dissolved nitrite as nitrogen. Nitrate, the oxidized 

form of nitrogen, typically is the most common form of 

dissolved nitrogen in streams. For data analysis, total-nitrogen 

Methods 
concentrations were calculated as follows: (1) the sum of 

total ammonia plus organic nitrogen and dissolved nitrate 

when both values were uncensored (greater than laboratory 

reporting levels), (2) set equal to total ammonia plus organic 

nitrogen when total ammonia plus organic nitrogen values 

were uncensored and dissolved nitrate values were censored 

(less than laboratory reporting levels), or (3) the sum of 

dissolved ammonia plus organic nitrogen and dissolved nitrate 

values when total ammonia plus organic nitrogen values were 

censored. Phosphorus species analyzed included dissolved 

orthophosphate as phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, and 

total phosphorus. Censored concentrations of total-phosphorus 

concentrations were set equal to the method reporting level, 

which is one-half the laboratory reporting level, for data 

analysis.

Trace-element analyses (table 3) included dissolvediron and dissolved-manganese concentrations, which were 

analyzed for all samples collected during the synoptic 

study. Additionally, dissolved-arsenic, dissolved-cadmium, 

dissolved-chromium, dissolved-copper, dissolved-nickel, 

dissolved-selenium, and dissolved-zinc concentrations were 

analyzed during the June sampling. Analyses for dissolvediron and dissolved-manganese concentrations were conducted 

using the inductively coupled plasma methods described in 

Fishman (1993). Analyses for dissolved-arsenic, dissolvedchromium, and dissolved-selenium concentrations were 

conducted using collision/reaction cell inductively coupled 

plasma-mass spectrometry methods described in Garbarino and others (2006). Analyses for dissolved-cadmium, 

dissolved-copper, dissolved-nickel, and dissolved-zinc concentrations were conducted using inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry methods described in Faires (1993).

Samples were analyzed for 52 pesticide compounds 

during the June sampling events. The pesticide compounds 

were 26 commonly used herbicides, 18 commonly used 

insecticides, and 8 breakdown products (table 4). Analyses 

for pesticide compounds were made using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method (Zaugg and others, 

1995; Madsen and others, 2003). The GC/MS method developed at the NWQL measures pesticide compounds at very 

low concentrations, often 10 to 1,000 times lower than U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) drinking-water 

standards and reporting levels commonly used at other analytical laboratories. Pesticide concentrations detected below the 

long-term method detection level are reported as estimated 

concentrations (Childress and others, 1999). The laboratory 

reporting level generally is twice the yearly determined longterm method detection level (Childress and others, 1999).

As part of the synoptic study, the distribution of land 

cover for Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, 

and Granite Creek drainage basins was determined using 

the National Land Cover Data (NLCD), which is a 30-meter 

resolution, raster-based data set that includes land-cover data 

compiled for Wyoming during 1986–93. Because most of 

the study area is contained within national forest or national 

park, land cover has not changed substantially since the data 

were compiled. Details of the NLCD land-cover classification process are discussed in Vogelmann, Sohl, Campbell, 

and Shaw (1998) and Vogelmann, Sohl, and Howard (1998). 

Land-cover classifications in the basins included water (open 

water, snow/ice); developed (residential, commercial, industrial, transportation); barren (bare rock/sand/clay, quarries/

strip mines/pits, transitional); forested upland (deciduous, 

evergreen, and mixed forest); shrubland; herbaceous upland 

natural/semi-natural vegetation; and wetlands (woody 

wetlands, emergent herbaceous wetlands).

Water-quality data in this report are compared to 

State of Wyoming water-quality criteria for surface waters 

(Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, 2007) or 

to USEPA water-quality criteria (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003) that apply to water-column constituents 

(table 5). Aquatic-life acute concentrations are based on a 

1-hour average concentration. Aquatic-life chronic concentrations are based on a 4-day average concentration. Wyoming 

human-health criteria are based on USEPA National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (or secondary standards), 

which are non-enforceable guidelines regulating constituents 

that may cause adverse cosmetic effects or aesthetic effects 

in drinking water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

2003). Several of the criteria in table 5 are dependent upon 

other factors and are not a single value. The aquatic-life 

acute and chronic values for dissolved cadmium, dissolved 

copper, dissolved manganese, dissolved nickel, and dissolved 

zinc are dependent upon hardness values. For this report, 

the minimum hardness value reported for all of the stream 

samples (10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) as calcium carbonate) 

during the synoptic study was used to calculate the aquatic 

criteria shown in table 5. Dissolved-chromium concentrations 

were not speciated for oxidation states. Chromium (VI), the 

most toxic of the chromium species, is used for comparison 

and represents a conservative value because all the dissolved 

chromium probably is not in the form of chromium (VI). For 

the chronic criterion for dissolved ammonia, the maximum 

reported temperature (21°C) and maximum reported pH (8.8) 

for all samples were used to select a conservative value for 

comparing samples.

In addition to water-quality criteria, nutrient data are 

compared to median concentrations determined by Clark and 

others (2000) for undeveloped stream basins in the United 

States. Clark and others (2000) computed flow-weighted 

concentrations; however, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in this report were not flow-weighted because 

continuous streamflow data were not available for most sites. 

Total-nitrogen and total-phosphorus concentrations also are 

compared to ambient water-quality criteria recommendations 

prepared by the USEPA for forested mountain streams in the 

Middle Rockies ecoregion to address cultural eutrophication 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000).

Suspended-sediment loads were calculated for the 

streams in the synoptic study using instantaneous streamflow, 

the suspended-sediment concentration, and a conversion 

factor. Suspended-sediment concentrations of less than 1 were 

   Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Table 3. Stream properties measured in the field and inorganic constituents for which water-quality samples were analyzed on 

Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

[--, not applicable]

Stream property or constituent Unit of measure

Maximum laboratory reporting level 

used for analyses 

(unit of measure)

Field measurements

Instantaneous streamflow Cubic feet per second --

Dissolved oxygen Milligrams per liter --

pH Standard units --

Specific conductance Microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius --

Water temperature Degrees Celsius --

Alkalinity Milligrams per liter, as calcium carbonate --

Major-ion chemistry

Calcium, dissolved Milligrams per liter 0.02 

Magnesium, dissolved Milligrams per liter .014

Sodium, dissolved Milligrams per liter .20 

Sodium-adsorption ratio (calculated) -- --

Potassium, dissolved Milligrams per liter .04

Sulfate, dissolved Milligrams per liter .18

Chloride, dissolved Milligrams per liter .20 

Fluoride, dissolved Milligrams per liter .1 

Silica, dissolved Milligrams per liter .04 

Dissolved solids, residue on evaporation at 

180 degrees Celsius

Milligrams per liter 10

Nutrients

Ammonia plus organic nitrogen, dissolved Milligrams per liter as nitrogen 0.1

Ammonia plus organic nitrogen, total Milligrams per liter as nitrogen .1

Ammonia, dissolved Milligrams per liter as nitrogen .02

Nitrite plus nitrate, dissolved Milligrams per liter as nitrogen .06

Nitrite, dissolved Milligrams per liter as nitrogen .002

Nitrogen, total (calculated) Milligrams per liter --

Orthophosphate, dissolved Milligrams per liter as phosphorus .006

Phosphorus, dissolved Milligrams per liter .004

Phosphorus, total Milligrams per liter .008

Trace elements

Arsenic, dissolved Micrograms per liter 0.12

Cadmium, dissolved Micrograms per liter .04

Chromium, dissolved Micrograms per liter .12

Copper, dissolved Micrograms per liter .4

Iron, dissolved Micrograms per liter 6

Manganese, dissolved Micrograms per liter .6

Nickel, dissolved Micrograms per liter .06

Selenium, dissolved Micrograms per liter .08

Zinc, dissolved Micrograms per liter .6

Methods 
Table 4. Pesticide compounds, type, and reporting levels for which water-quality 

samples were analyzed on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite 

Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

Pesticide Type

Maximum laboratory 

reporting level used for analyses 

(micrograms per liter)

2,6-Diethylaniline Breakdown product 0.006

CIAT Breakdown product .014

Acetochlor Herbicide .006

Alachlor Herbicide .005

alpha-HCH Breakdown product .005

Atrazine Herbicide .007

Azinphos-methyl Insecticide .186

Benfluralin Herbicide .010

Butylate Herbicide .004

Carbaryl Insecticide .041

Carbofuran Insecticide .020

Chlorpyrifos Insecticide .005

cis-Permethrin Insecticide .006

Cyanazine Herbicide .018

DCPA Herbicide .003

Desulfinyl fipronil Breakdown product .012

Diazinon Insecticide .005

Dieldrin Insecticide .009

Disulfoton Insecticide .02

EPTC Herbicide .004

Ethalfluralin Herbicide .009

Ethoprop Insecticide .012

Desulfinylfipronil amide Breakdown product .029

Fipronil sulfide Breakdown product .013

Fipronil sulfone Breakdown product .024

Fipronil Insecticide .016

Fonofos Insecticide .005

Lindane Insecticide .004

Linuron Herbicide .035 

Malathion Insecticide .027

Methyl parathion Insecticide .015

Metolachlor Herbicide .006

Metribuzin Herbicide .028

Molinate Herbicide .003

Napropamide Herbicide .007

p,p'-DDE Breakdown product .003

Parathion Insecticide .010

 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Pesticide Type

Maximum laboratory 

reporting level used for analyses 

(micrograms per liter)

Pebulate Herbicide 0.004

Pendimethalin Herbicide .022

Phorate Insecticide .055

Prometon Herbicide .01

Propyzamide Herbicide .004

Propachlor Herbicide .010

Propanil Herbicide .011

Propargite Insecticide .02

Simazine Herbicide .005

Tebuthiuron Herbicide .02

Terbacil Herbicide .034

Terbufos Insecticide .02

Thiobencarb Herbicide .010

Triallate Herbicide .006

Trifluralin Herbicide .009

Table 4. Pesticide compounds, type, and reporting levels for which water-quality 

samples were analyzed on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite 

Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

USGS hydrologist prepares water samples in the back country of Grand Teton 

National Park.

set equal to 1 for data analysis. The equation for the load 

calculation was:

SSL = Q x SSC x 0.0027 (1)

where:

SSL is the suspended-sediment load, in tons per 

day;

Q is the instantaneous streamflow, in cubic feet 

per second (ft3/s); and

SSC is the suspended-sediment concentration, in 

mg/L.

Data distributions of water-quality constituents are 

summarized using boxplots. For boxplots, the lower and 

upper edges of the box indicate the 25th and 75th percentiles, 

respectively. The median is a line within the box. The whiskers 

extend beyond the 25th and 75th percentiles to 1.5 times the 

interquartile range. If the smallest or largest value in the data 

set is less than 1.5 times the interquartile range, the whisker 

extends to the smallest or largest value. Otherwise, values 

outside the whiskers are shown as individual points.

Methods 
Table 5. State of Wyoming water-quality criteria for surface waters and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency water-quality criteria 

for selected constituents.

[All criteria are from Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (2007) unless otherwise noted. All constituents are in micrograms per liter unless otherwise noted. mg/L, milligrams per liter; --, no data available]

Constituent Aquatic-life 

acute criterion

Aquatic-life 

chronic criterion

Human-health criterion, 

fish and drinking water1

Priority pollutants

Arsenic 340 150 10

Cadmium2 .2 .05 35

Chromium (VI) 16 11 3100

Copper2 1.6 1.3 41,000

Nickel2 66 7.4 3100

Selenium 20 5 350

Zinc2 16 16 45,000

Dieldrin .24 .056 .00052

Non-priority pollutants

Dissolved oxygen (mg/L)5 8.0, 4.0 -- --

pH (standard units) -- 6.5–9.0 --

Chloride (mg/L) 860 230 7250

Fluoride (mg/L) -- -- 34

Ammonia (mg/L) 61.23 6.44 --

Nitrite (mg/L) -- -- 31

Nitrite plus nitrate (mg/L) -- -- 310

Iron -- 1,000 7300

Manganese2 530 420 750

Alachlor -- -- 32.0

Atrazine -- -- 33.0

Carbofuran -- -- 340

Chlorpyrifos .083 .041 --

Lindane .95 -- 3.2

Malathion -- .1 --

Parathion .065 .013 --

Simazine -- -- 34.0

1

Except where otherwise noted, values are based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Section 304(a) criteria recommendations assuming consumption 

of 2 liters of water and 6.5 grams of aquatic organisms per day.

2

Based on a hardness value of 10 milligrams per liter.

3

Criterion is based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water Maximum Contaminant Level (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003).

4

Value is based on taste and odor effects and is more stringent than if based solely on toxic or carcinogenic effects.

5

For Class 1 cold waters, 8.0 applies to early life stages, 4.0 applies to other life stages; instantaneous values. 

6

Criteria based on early life stages of fish present and conditions of maximum reported pH of 8.8 and maximum reported temperature of 21°C. 

7

Criterion is based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations, which are nonenforceable guidelines for 

contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color) in drinking water (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2003).

10 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 2. Streamflow and distribution of sampling events for Granite Creek, Grand Teton National 

Park, Wyoming, 2006. STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND

Oct.

2005 2006

DATE

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

400

Mean daily streamflow

Sampling event

EXPLANATION

Site GC2

Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.

Water-Quality Characteristics

The water-quality characteristics of four western streams 

(Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite 

Creek) are described in this section. Sampling results from 

a synoptic study during 2006 are presented. Water types of 

sampled streams are described; see Hem (1985) for a basic 

discussion of water types. In addition, sampling results 

from the synoptic study of western streams are compared to 

sampling results from a synoptic study of eastern streams 

during 2002 to describe spatial variations in the water quality 

in the Snake River headwaters area.

Synoptic Study

A synoptic study to describe baseline water-quality 

characteristics of Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake 

Creek, and Granite Creek was conducted during 2006. Two 

sampling sites were selected on each of the streams for the 

synoptic study. An upstream site was established to describe 

water quality in the upper part of the drainage basin, generally upstream from roads and much of the recreational use. 

A second site was established downstream near roads and 

or other areas that have high visitor use. Sampling events in 

June, July, August, and October were selected to characterize 

different hydrologic conditions and different recreational-use 

periods by visitors to Grand Teton National Park. The June 

sampling event coincided with high-flow conditions. The 

July and August sampling events coincided with the period of 

high recreational use. The October sampling event generally 

coincided with low-flow conditions. The lowest streamflows 

typically occur in the winter; however, site access is very difficult because of snow during the winter. Streamflow measured 

during the October sampling event was slightly higher than 

the streamflow measured during the August sampling event 

at sites LC1, LC2, and GC2 (table 6). A small rain event 

occurred during the October sampling that may have contributed flow to Lake Creek and Granite Creek.

Site GC2 on Granite Creek is the only study site with a 

USGS streamflow-gaging station (13016305) that continuously records stage measurements, which are used to produce 

an annual record of streamflow (fig. 2). The annual-runoff 

value of 27,460 acre-feet (acre-ft) at site GC2 on Granite 

Creek during water year 2006 (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006) was slightly less than the average annual-runoff 

value of 28,170 acre-ft for the period of record (1995–2006) 

for this site, indicating streamflow conditions were near 

average during the synoptic study (U.S. Geological Survey, 

2007).

Results for stream properties measured in the field 

and for constituents analyzed in water-quality samples are 

presented in this report (table 6). In addition, results are 

electronically stored in the USGS’s National Water Information System (NWIS) and are available to the public from 

NWISWeb at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/.

Water-Quality Characteristics 11
Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Site 

number Date Time

Instantaneous 

streamflow, 

in ft3/s

Barometric 

pressure,

 mm Hg

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

mg/L

Dissolved 

oxygen, 

percent of saturation

pH, 

unfiltered, field, 

standard units

Specific 

conductance, 

μS/cm

Temperature, 

air, 

°C

Temperature, 

water, 

°C

Hardness, 

mg/L as calcium 

carbonate

Calcium, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Magnesium, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Potassium, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Sodiumadsorption 

ratio

Sodium, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 688 598 9.2 108 8.0 28 28.0 11.5 11 3.11 0.663 0.62 0.1 0.51

7/24/2006 1500 240 592 8.0 114 8.4 24 23.0 20.0 10 3.10 .632 .58 .1 .47

8/28/2006 1430 48 595 7.2 98 8.1 27 25.0 17.5 11 3.13 .653 .57 .1 .45

10/4/2006 1500 29 608 8.6 100 7.8 28 12.5 12.0 12 3.42 .725 .61 .1 .57

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 88 597 12.3 120 8.3 32 8.0 4.0 13 3.81 .927 .62 .1 .46

7/25/2006 915 50 595 9.0 100 8.2 41 30.0 9.0 17 4.87 1.21 .63 <.1 .46

8/29/2006 1000 11 596 9.2 99 8.5 45 14.0 7.5 19 5.35 1.35 .79 .1 .61

10/2/2006 1330 5.1 600 10.3 105 7.8 48 7.0 6.0 17 4.90 1.16 .79 .1 .61

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 99 597 8.8 103 7.5 32 11.5 11.5 13 3.65 .893 .66 .1 .51

7/25/2006 1400 46 595 6.8 96 7.7 37 31.0 20.0 13 3.67 .885 .57 .1 .52

8/29/2006 1345 8.7 596 7.0 96 7.9 39 25.0 18.5 16 4.61 1.15 .67 .1 .48

10/2/2006 1615 3.6 600 8.7 97 8.2 43 6.0 9.5 18 5.05 1.26 .81 .1 .54

CC2 6/14/2006 850 610 597 8.6 102 7.2 27 14.0 12.0 11 3.17 .677 .62 .1 .53

7/24/2006 1715 279 592 6.8 96 7.7 25 23.0 19.5 11 3.19 .684 .56 .1 .49

8/28/2006 1700 18 595 6.1 84 7.4 28 27.0 19.0 11 3.33 .758 .61 .1 .48

10/4/2006 1400 0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 143 595 10.7 106 8.5 101 13.0 4.5 48 13.9 3.24 .53 <.1 .36

7/26/2006 945 35 593 8.9 100 8.3 120 19.0 9.5 58 16.7 3.88 .73 <.1 .58

8/30/2006 900 6.2 595 8.9 97 8.6 132 16.0 8.0 62 17.9 4.28 1.05 <.1 .70

10/3/2006 1145 14 609 10.3 104 7.5 140 9.0 6.0 66 18.9 4.52 .96 <.1 .69

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 231 595 9.2 106 8.5 106 17.0 10.5 53 15.3 3.49 .66 <.1 .46

7/25/2006 1630 40 595 6.7 97 8.5 106 29.0 21.0 50 14.6 3.27 .60 <.1 .42

8/29/2006 1600 6.6 596 7.0 99 8.8 105 27.0 20.0 53 15.3 3.63 .67 <.1 .47

10/3/2006 1500 7.2 609 8.3 99 7.9 108 17.0 13.0 52 15.3 3.44 .62 <.1 .57

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 285 607 9.9 101 8.5 215 27.0 6.5 110 30.3 8.09 .40 <.1 .33

7/26/2006 1400 37 593 8.7 101 8.4 214 29.0 10.5 110 29.5 7.92 .49 <.1 .57

8/30/2006 1400 11 595 9.0 101 8.6 218 24.0 9.5 110 30.2 8.52 .61 <.1 .52

10/4/2006 1030 10 608 10.9 104 8.5 222 2.5 4.0 120 34.8 9.13 .56 <.1 .57

GC2 6/13/2006 830 275 607 10.2 99 8.6 214 16.0 4.5 110 30.4 7.89 .37 <.1 .34

7/26/2006 1745 30 593 8.5 102 8.3 215 28.0 12.0 110 29.4 7.69 .52 <.1 .56

8/29/2006 1800 9.7 596 8.4 98 8.8 217 25.0 11.0 110 30.8 8.34 .63 <.1 .62

10/3/2006 1645 11 609 9.9 101 8.2 223 14.0 6.5 110 31.8 8.44 .59 <.1 .62

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

12 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 13
Site 

number Date Time Alkalinity, mg/L as CaCO3

Chloride, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Fluoride, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Silica, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Sulfate, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Residue on 

evaporation at 

180°C, dissolved, 

mg/L

Ammonia + 

organic N, 

dissolved, 

mg/L as N

Ammonia + 

organic N, 

total, 

mg/L as N

Ammonia, 

dissolved, 

mg/L as N

Nitrate + 

nitrate, 

dissolved, 

mg/L as N

Nitrite, 

dissolved, 

mg/L as N

Orthophosphate, 

dissolved, 

mg/L as P

Phosphorus, 

dissolved, 

mg/L

Phosphorus, 

total, 

mg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 11 E0.19 <0.10 1.99 1.66 11 E.07 0.15 E0.008 <0.06 E0.001 <0.006 <0.004 E0.003

7/24/2006 1500 10 E.11 <.10 1.86 1.57 19 E.06 .10 E.006 <.06 <.002 <.006 E.003 .005

8/28/2006 1430 14 E.16 <.10 1.67 1.67 15 .16 E.09 .015 <.06 <.002 <.006 <.004 E.003

10/4/2006 1500 11 E.10 <.10 1.72 1.73 18 .14 E.08 E.012 <.06 <.002 <.006 <.006 E.004

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 11 .29 <.10 2.77 1.52 23 <.10 E.08 E.007 .17 <.002 <.006 <.004 E.003

7/25/2006 915 17 .28 <.10 2.32 1.81 19 <.10 E.08 .022 .12 <.002 <.006 E.003 .005

8/29/2006 1000 22 .35 <.10 2.82 2.26 29 .18 E.07 .012 .15 <.002 <.006 <.004 <.004

10/2/2006 1330 17 .84 <.10 2.78 2.51 31 E.08 <.10 E.013 .17 <.002 <.006 <.006 <.008

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 12 E.18 <.10 2.99 1.50 24 E.07 .12 .012 .13 <.002 <.006 <.004 .004

7/25/2006 1400 17 <.20 <.10 1.90 1.66 26 E.08 .10 .011 .08 E.001 <.006 E.003 .007

8/29/2006 1345 19 E.16 <.10 1.96 1.87 25 .23 .11 .014 E.03 <.002 <.006 <.004 .005

10/2/2006 1615 17 .13 <.10 1.93 1.91 30 .14 E.09 <.020 <.06 <.002 <.006 E.003 E.007

CC2 6/14/2006 850 11 E.20 <.10 2.23 1.58 24 E.08 .15 E.007 E.05 <.002 <.006 <.004 .011

7/24/2006 1715 8 <.20 <.10 2.00 1.46 20 E.09 .17 .013 E.04 <.002 <.006 E.004 .008

8/28/2006 1700 12 E.11 <.10 1.71 1.60 19 .16 .10 .014 E.04 <.002 <.006 <.004 E.003

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 46 .27 <.10 2.77 2.46 55 E.06 .11 E.006 .06 <.002 <.006 <.004 .009

7/26/2006 945 47 <.20 <.10 2.32 4.55 73 .12 E.06 <.010 E.04 <.002 <.006 <.004 E.003

8/30/2006 900 60 .20 <.10 3.29 5.63 72 E.08 <.10 E.007 .08 <.002 E.003 <.004 E.002

10/3/2006 1145 61 .60 E.06 2.88 7.08 87 .21 E.09 <.020 .10 <.002 <.006 .006 <.008

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 50 .31 <.10 2.51 2.67 57 E.08 .15 .012 E.03 <.002 E.004 <.004 .005

7/25/2006 1630 55 .21 <.10 1.93 2.87 61 .11 .11 E.006 <.06 <.002 <.006 .004 .007

8/29/2006 1600 52 .22 <.10 1.96 2.99 59 .23 .12 E.010 <.06 <.002 E.003 <.004 .005

10/3/2006 1500 51 E.11 <.10 1.50 2.93 58 E.06 .25 <.020 <.06 <.002 <.006 <.006 E.005

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 109 .29 <.10 2.48 2.17 108 E.06 .12 E.007 E.05 <.002 E.003 E.002 .010

7/26/2006 1400 110 .30 <.10 2.94 3.28 122 .10 E.08 E.005 <.06 <.002 <.006 E.002 E.003

8/30/2006 1400 113 .21 <.10 3.34 3.51 110 .15 E.09 .011 E.05 <.002 E.003 <.004 E.003

10/4/2006 1030 116 .25 <.10 2.99 3.69 130 .13 <.10 <.020 .11 <.002 <.006 <.006 <.008

GC2 6/13/2006 830 108 E.18 <.10 2.48 2.08 105 <.10 .13 E.007 .07 <.002 E.004 E.002 .023

7/26/2006 1745 107 E.19 <.10 2.97 3.23 120 E.09 .34 E.007 <.06 <.002 <.006 <.004 <.004

8/29/2006 1800 114 .28 <.10 3.71 3.42 120 .16 .13 .013 E.04 <.002 <.006 <.004 .007

10/3/2006 1645 115 .28 <.10 3.36 3.56 125 E.07 <.10 <.020 .06 <.002 <.006 <.006 <.008

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

14  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 15
Site 

number Date Time

Arsenic, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Cadmium, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Chromium, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Copper, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Iron, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Manganese, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Nickel, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Selenium, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Zinc, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

2,6-Diethylaniline, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

CIAT, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Acetochlor, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Alachlor, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

alpha-HCH, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 0.12 E0.03 0.07 E0.3 <6 E0.5 0.09 <0.08 <0.6 <0.006 <0.014 <0.006 <0.005 <0.005

7/24/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- E3 E.6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1430 -- -- -- -- 6 1.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- E4 E.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 E.08 <.04 .10 E.3 E6 <.6 E.04 <.08 E.5 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/25/2006 915 -- -- -- -- <6 E.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1000 -- -- -- -- E5 E.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1330 -- -- -- -- E5 E.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 E.09 <.04 .08 E.3 13 .8 E.06 <.08 .7 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/25/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- 14 1.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1345 -- -- -- -- 19 2.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1615 -- -- -- -- 18 2.8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

CC2 6/14/2006 850 E.11 <.04 .08 E.3 E5 E.4 .08 <.08 1.4 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/24/2006 1715 -- -- -- -- E6 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1700 -- -- -- -- 10 1.3 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 .16 <.04 .12 4.5 13 .9 .16 <.08 1.1 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/26/2006 945 -- -- -- -- <6 .8 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 900 -- -- -- -- 8 .7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1145 -- -- -- -- 8 .7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 .19 <.04 .07 E.4 9 .8 .14 <.08 6.2 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/25/2006 1630 -- -- -- -- E4 1.0 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1600 -- -- -- -- E5 1.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- E3 .7 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 .21 <.04 .11 E.4 <6 E.4 .17 E.04 E.4 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/26/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- <6 E.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- E3 E.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1030 -- -- -- -- <6 <.6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC2 6/13/2006 830 .19 <.04 .11 E.3 <6 <.6 .16 E.04 .9 <.006 <.014 <.006 <.005 <.005

7/26/2006 1745 -- -- -- -- <6 .6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1800 -- -- -- -- <6 E.6 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1645 -- -- -- -- <6 E.4 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

16 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 17
Site 

number Date Time

Atrazine, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Azinphos-methyl, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Benfluralin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Butylate, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Carbaryl, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Carbofuran, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Chlorpyrifos, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

cis-Permethrin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Cyanazine, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

DCPA, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Desulfinyl fipronil, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Diazinon, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Dieldrin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Disulfoton, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 <0.007 <0.050 <0.010 <0.004 <0.041 <0.020 <0.005 <0.006 <0.018 <0.003 <0.012 <0.005 <0.009 <0.02

7/24/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1430 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 <.007 <.050 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/25/2006 915 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1000 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1330 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 <.007 <.170 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/25/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1345 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1615 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

CC2 6/14/2006 850 <.007 <.050 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/24/2006 1715 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1700 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 <.007 <.186 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/26/2006 945 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 900 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1145 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 <.007 <.087 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/25/2006 1630 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1600 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 <.007 <.050 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/26/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1030 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC2 6/13/2006 830 <.007 <.050 <.010 <.004 <.041 <.020 <.005 <.006 <.018 <.003 <.012 <.005 <.009 <.02

7/26/2006 1745 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1800 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1645 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

18  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 19
Site 

number Date Time

EPTC, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Ethalfluralin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Ethoprop, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Desulfinylfipronil 

amide, dissolved, 

μg/L

Fipronil sulfide, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Fipronil sulfone, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Fipronil, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Fonofos, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Lindane, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Linuron, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Malathion, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Methyl parathion, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Metolachlor, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Metribuzin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 <0.004 <0.009 <0.012 <0.029 <0.013 <0.024 <0.016 <0.005 <0.004 <0.035 <0.027 <0.015 E0.002 <0.028

7/24/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1430 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/25/2006 915 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1000 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1330 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/25/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1345 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1615 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

CC2 6/14/2006 850 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/24/2006 1715 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1700 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/26/2006 945 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 900 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1145 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/25/2006 1630 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1600 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/26/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1030 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC2 6/13/2006 830 <.004 <.009 <.012 <.029 <.013 <.024 <.016 <.005 <.004 <.035 <.027 <.015 <.006 <.028

7/26/2006 1745 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1800 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1645 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

20 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 21
Site 

number Date Time

Molinate, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Napropamide, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

p,p’-DDE, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Parathion, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Pebulate, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Pendimethalin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Phorate, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Prometon, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Propyzamide, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Propachlor, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Propanil, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Propargite, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Simazine, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Tebuthiuron, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 <0.003 <0.007 <0.003 <0.010 <0.004 <0.022 <0.055 <0.01 <0.004 <0.010 <0.011 <0.02 <0.005 <0.02

7/24/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1430 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/25/2006 915 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1000 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1330 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/25/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1345 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/2/2006 1615 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

CC2 6/14/2006 850 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/24/2006 1715 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/28/2006 1700 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/26/2006 945 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 900 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1145 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/25/2006 1630 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1600 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/26/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/30/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/4/2006 1030 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

GC2 6/13/2006 830 <.003 <.007 <.003 <.010 <.004 <.022 <.055 <.01 <.004 <.010 <.011 <.02 <.005 <.02

7/26/2006 1745 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

8/29/2006 1800 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

10/3/2006 1645 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

22 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006 Water-Quality Characteristics 23
Site 

number Date Time

Terbacil, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Terbufos, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Thiobencarb, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Triallate, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Trifluralin, 

dissolved, 

μg/L

Suspended-sediment 

concentration, 

mg/L

CC1 6/12/2006 1350 <0.034 <0.02 <0.010 <0.006 <0.009 <1

7/24/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- 1

8/28/2006 1430 -- -- -- -- -- <1

10/4/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- <1

TC1 6/14/2006 1700 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 1

7/25/2006 915 -- -- -- -- -- 1

8/29/2006 1000 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/2/2006 1330 -- -- -- -- -- 1

TC2 6/14/2006 1230 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 2

7/25/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- 2

8/29/2006 1345 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/2/2006 1615 -- -- -- -- -- 3

CC2 6/14/2006 850 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 10

7/24/2006 1715 -- -- -- -- -- 2

8/28/2006 1700 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/4/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- --

LC1 6/15/2006 1100 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 17

7/26/2006 945 -- -- -- -- -- 3

8/30/2006 900 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/3/2006 1145 -- -- -- -- -- 2

LC2 6/15/2006 1700 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 3

7/25/2006 1630 -- -- -- -- -- 2

8/29/2006 1600 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/3/2006 1500 -- -- -- -- -- 1

GC1 6/13/2006 1410 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 17

7/26/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- 2

8/30/2006 1400 -- -- -- -- -- <1

10/4/2006 1030 -- -- -- -- -- 1

GC2 6/13/2006 830 <.034 <.02 <.010 <.006 <.009 29

7/26/2006 1745 -- -- -- -- -- 3

8/29/2006 1800 -- -- -- -- -- 1

10/3/2006 1645 -- -- -- -- -- 1

Table 6. Results for stream properties measured in the field and constituents analyzed in water-quality samples collected at sampling 

sites on Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.—Continued

[ft3/sec, cubic feet per second; mm Hg, millimeters of mercury; mg/L, milligrams per liter; μS/cm, microsiemens per centimeter at 25 degrees Celsius; 

°C, degrees Celsius; μg/L, micrograms per liter; --, not determined; E, estimated; <, less than]

24  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Cottonwood Creek

Cottonwood Creek flows south from the outlet of Jenny 

Lake and is the principal tributary on the west side of the 

Snake River in Grand Teton National Park. The upstream 

sampling site (site CC1) on Cottonwood Creek is located at 

the outlet of Jenny Lake (fig. 1). The downstream sampling 

site on Cottonwood Creek (site CC2) is downstream from 

Taggart Creek and near the confluence with the Snake River. 

Cottonwood Creek has the largest drainage basin of the four 

western streams (table 1); about 67 percent of the drainage 

area at site CC1 is upstream from Jenny Lake. The drainage 

area at the downstream site (site CC2) is 72.3 square miles 

(mi2). The drainage basin includes most of the high peaks that 

are at the core of the Teton Range, including the Grand Teton. 

The bedrock geology of the Cottonwood Creek drainage basin 

upstream from Jenny Lake primarily is composed of Precambrian-era granite gneiss, granitic rocks, and metasedimentary 

and metavolcanic rocks (Love and others, 1992). Sedimentary 

rocks that overlie the Precambrian-era rocks in the northern 

and southern part of the Teton Range mostly have been eroded 

in this part of the range. Cottonwood Creek flows entirely 

through Quaternary-period alluvial deposits of Jackson Hole. 

Cottonwood Creek has a gravel, cobble, and rock streambed 

at site CC1 and is mostly cobble with some braided sections at 

the downstream site (site CC2).

Land cover in the Cottonwood Creek drainage basin 

is dominated by herbaceous uplands and forested uplands 

in the upper part of the drainage basin (fig. 3). Shrubland 

dominates in the alluvial valley. Water (including lakes and 

snow/ice fields) and barren land (mostly rock) compose about 

18 percent of the drainage area at site CC2. Cottonwood 

Creek has the most developed area of the four drainage basins; 

however, developed land cover accounts for less than 1 percent 

of the drainage area. Unlike upstream sites on the other 

streams, site CC1 is in a developed area that includes Grand 

Teton National Park concessions for Jenny Lake, which is an 

area of high visitor use.

Streamflow for Cottonwood Creek varied during the 

sampling events (fig. 4). Streamflow ranged from 29 ft3/s in 

October to 688 ft3/s in June at site CC1 and from no flow in 

October to 610 ft3/s in June at downstream site CC2. The high 

flows in June are a result of snowmelt runoff. Streamflow 

was smaller at site CC2 than at site CC1 during three of the 

four sampling events, despite flow contributions from Taggart 

Creek between the two sites. This indicates streamflow was 

lost to ground water through the coarse alluvial deposits of 

Cottonwood Creek. Cox (1974) reported Cottonwood Creek 

had an average loss rate of 11.7 cubic feet per mile for a 

4.2-mile reach of the stream downstream from Jenny Lake, 

which approximately coincides with the reach in this study.

Waters of Cottonwood Creek were near neutral to 

alkaline (pH values ranged from 7.2 to 8.4) and were dilute 

calcium-bicarbonate type (table 6). Among major cations, 

the concentration order from largest to smallest was calcium, 

magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Among major anions, the 

concentration order from largest to smallest was bicarbonate 

(determined from alkalinity), sulfate, and chloride. Alkalinity 

concentrations in samples collected from Cottonwood Creek 

ranged from 8 to 14 mg/L as calcium carbonate, indicating the 

stream has a small buffering capacity. Nanus and others (2005) 

and Corbin and others (2006) reported that alpine to subalpine 

lakes in Grand Teton National Park are sensitive to acidification. The small alkalinity values for Cottonwood Creek 

are similar to some of the acid-neutralizing-capacity values 

reported for the alpine to subalpine lakes that are considered 

to be sensitive to acidification. Granitic rocks compose a large 

percentage of the Precambrian-era rocks in the Cottonwood 

Creek drainage basin. Studies by Nanus and others (2005) 

and Corbin and others (2006) identified granitic rocks as an 

important factor in determining the potential for sensitivity to 

acidification.

Dissolved-solids concentrations for Cottonwood Creek 

were the smallest of the four streams that were sampled for 

this study. Concentrations ranged from 11 to 19 mg/L at 

site CC1 and from 19 to 24 mg/L at downstream site CC2 

(fig. 4). Dissolved-solids concentrations generally did not 

vary inversely with streamflow, likely a result of streamflow 

being largely controlled by Jenny Lake. The small dissolvedsolids concentrations in samples from Cottonwood Creek are 

the result of high annual precipitation in the Teton Range and 

steep gradients in this basin that produce relatively fast stream 

velocities, which results in short contact time between stream 

waters and the chemically resistant Precambrian-era rocks and 

material derived from these rocks that compose the basin.

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species 

generally were small in samples collected at sites CC1 and 

CC2 on Cottonwood Creek (table 6, fig. 4). Dissolvedammonia, dissolved-nitrate, and dissolved-nitrite concentrations in all samples were less than the water-quality criteria 

for surface waters in Wyoming (table 5). Dissolved-nitrate 

concentrations were less than the laboratory reporting level 

of 0.06 mg/L and were smaller than the median concentration of 0.087 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the 

United States (Clark and others, 2000) in samples collected at 

both sites. In all samples collected at both sites, total-nitrogen 

concentrations were less than the median concentration of 

0.26 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United 

States (Clark and others, 2000) and the ambient total-nitrogen 

criterion of 0.34 mg/L for forested mountain streams in the 

Middle Rockies ecoregion recommended by the USEPA to 

address cultural eutrophication (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). Dissolved-orthophosphate concentrations 

were less than the laboratory reporting level of 0.006 mg/L, 

and dissolved-phosphorus concentrations were less than 

0.006 mg/L in all samples. Total-phosphorus concentrations 

were less than the median concentration of 0.022 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and 

others, 2000) in samples collected at both sites.

Dissolved-iron and dissolved-manganese concentrations 

were small in the samples collected at sites CC1 and CC2 on 

Cottonwood Creek (table 6). The maximum dissolved-iron 

Water-Quality Characteristics 25
0

0

1 2

1 2

3

3

4 MILES

4 KILOMETERS

National land cover data modified from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, 2000

Hydrography modified from USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) digital data, 1999

Albers Equal-area Conic projection, Standard parallels 29o30a and 45o30a,

Central meridian -111o00a

110o45a 110o40a

43o50a

43o45a

Sampling site and number (table 1)

EXPLANATION

110o50a

Leigh Lake Leigh

Canyon

Jenny

Lake

Cascade Creek

Creek

Cottonwood

Fork

South

Snake

River

Creek

Taggart

Garnet Canyon Bradley

Lake

Taggart

 Lake

CC2

CC1

CC2

Site CC2

Site CC1

0 20 40 60 80 100

LAND COVER, IN PERCENT

Barren

Forested upland

Shrubland

Herbaceous upland natural/semi-natural vegetation

Water

Wetland

Developed

Figure 3. Distribution of land cover in the Cottonwood Creek drainage basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

26 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 4. Streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment concentrations; and 

suspended-sediment loads for Cottonwood Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

All four sampling events 

(June, July, August, and 

October)

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

20

40

10

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET

PER SECOND

DISSOLVED-SOLIDS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-NITROGEN CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT LOAD,

IN TONS PER DAY

SITE

CC1 CC2

SITE

CC1 CC2

20

40

100

200

400

1,000

June sample

July sample

August sample

October sample

EXPLANATION

0

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.15

0.25

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

0

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.012

Water-Quality Characteristics 27
concentration was 10 micrograms per liter (μg/L) (site CC2), 

and the maximum dissolved-manganese concentration was 

1.5 μg/L (site CC1) for samples collected from Cottonwood 

Creek. These concentrations were substantially less than the 

aquatic-life criteria and human-health criteria for dissolved 

iron and dissolved manganese (table 5). Dissolved-arsenic, 

dissolved-cadmium, dissolved-chromium, dissolved-copper, 

dissolved-nickel, dissolved-selenium, and dissolved-zinc 

concentrations (table 6) were substantially less than aquaticlife acute and chronic criteria (table 5) during the June 

sampling of Cottonwood Creek. Sources of trace elements in 

the Cottonwood Creek drainage basin most likely are natural 

because the basin is mostly undeveloped.

During the June sampling event, one sample was 

collected at site CC1 and one sample was collected at site CC2 

and analyzed for 52 commonly used pesticides or their breakdown products. All of the concentrations in the samples were 

less than the laboratory reporting levels for the compounds 

(table 4) and aquatic-life criteria established for surface waters 

in Wyoming (table 5). Metolachlor was detected in the sample 

from site CC1 in June. Metolachlor is a herbicide used to 

control broadleaf and annual grassy weeds along road right-ofways (Meister Publishing Company, 2001). The concentration 

was less than the laboratory reporting level of 0.006 μg/L and 

was estimated to be 0.002 μg/L.

Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads for Cottonwood Creek were small for all the sampling events (fig. 4). 

Suspended-sediment concentrations were 1 mg/L or less 

than 1 mg/L in the four samples at site CC1 and ranged from 

1 mg/L in August to 10 mg/L in June at site CC2. The small 

suspended-sediment concentrations at site CC1 reflect the 

influence of Jenny Lake, which likely reduces the suspended 

material. The suspended-sediment concentration at site CC2 

was largest during snowmelt runoff in June when suspended 

sediment typically is carried to streams with overland flow or 

is resuspended from the stream bottom from turbulent flows; 

however, the concentration was small compared to other 

streams in Wyoming (Peterson, 1993). The coarse bottom 

material of Cottonwood Creek generally is too heavy to be 

resuspended.

Taggart Creek

Taggart Creek is a small tributary to Cottonwood Creek. 

The upstream sampling site on Taggart Creek (site TC1) is 

upstream from the inlet to Taggart Lake. The downstream 

sampling site (site TC2) is downstream from Taggart Lake 

near the parking lot for the Taggart Lake trailhead, just 

upstream from the confluence with Cottonwood Creek (fig. 1). 

Taggart Creek has the smallest drainage basin of the four 

western streams (table 1) where most of the drainage area for 

the basin (about 82 percent) is upstream from site TC1 near 

the inlet to Taggart Lake. The drainage area at the downstream 

site (TC2) is about 6.7 mi2. The bedrock geology of the 

Taggart Creek drainage basin is predominantly Precambrianera metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks. As with the 

Cottonwood Creek drainage basin, the overlying sedimentary 

rocks have largely been eroded in this drainage basin. A small 

area of Paleozoic-area sedimentary rocks (less than 2 percent 

of the drainage basin) is exposed at the head of the basin. 

Quaternary-period deposits include glacial deposits that form 

the moraine at Taggart Lake, and landslide deposits (Love and 

Christiansen, 1985). Landslide deposits are mainly talus and 

related materials (Love and others, 1992). Taggart Creek has 

a predominantly cobble and rock streambed at the upstream 

site (site TC1), and a gravel and cobble streambed at the 

downstream site (site TC2).

Land cover in the Taggart Creek drainage basin is 

dominated by herbaceous uplands, forested uplands, and 

barren land (fig. 5). Barren land (mostly rock) composes about 

22 percent of the drainage area at site TC1. Forested uplands 

cover the glacial moraine. A parking lot for the Taggart Lake 

trailhead, an area of high visitor use, is near site TC2. The 

lower part of the basin has more recreational use than the 

rugged upper part of the basin.

Streamflow for Taggart Creek varied during the sampling 

events (fig. 6). Streamflow ranged from 5.1 ft3/s in October 

to 88 ft3/s in June at site TC1 and from 3.6 ft3/s in October 

to 99 ft3/s in June at downstream site TC2. The high flows in 

June are a result of snowmelt runoff. Streamflow was smaller 

at site TC2 compared to site TC1 during three of the four 

sampling events. Taggart Lake, glacial drift deposits, and 

alluvial deposits along Taggart Creek may be recharged by 

Taggart Creek between sites TC1 and TC2.

Waters of Taggart Creek were near neutral to alkaline (pH 

values ranged from 7.5 to 8.5) and were calcium-bicarbonate 

type (table 6). Among major cations, the concentration order 

from largest to smallest was calcium, magnesium, potassium, 

and sodium. Among major anions, the concentration order 

from largest to smallest was bicarbonate (determined from 

alkalinity), sulfate, and chloride. Alkalinity concentrations 

in samples collected from Taggart Creek ranged from 11 to 

22 mg/L as calcium carbonate, indicating the stream has a 

small buffering capacity. As with Cottonwood Creek, the small 

alkalinity values for Taggart Creek are similar to some of the 

acid-neutralizing-capacity values reported for the alpine and 

subalpine lakes that are considered to be sensitive to acidification (Nanus and others, 2005; Corbin and others, 2006).

Dissolved-solids concentrations for Taggart Creek 

were slightly larger than dissolved-solids concentrations 

for Cottonwood Creek (table 6). Concentrations ranged 

from 19 to 31 mg/L at site TC1 and from 24 to 30 mg/L at 

downstream site TC2 (fig. 6). The small range of dissolved 

solids at downstream site TC2 reflects the influence of Taggart 

Lake. Dissolved-solids concentrations generally showed an 

inverse relation with streamflow at site TC1. Dissolved-solids 

concentrations are smallest during high-flow conditions, when 

stream waters are diluted by snowmelt runoff, and are largest 

during low-flow conditions, when ground water that has 

larger dissolved solids contributes to streamflow. The small 

dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from 

Taggart Creek are the result of high annual precipitation in 

28  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 5. Distribution of land cover in the Taggart Creek drainage basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Sampling site and number (table 1)

EXPLANATION

TC2

Barren

Forested upland

Shrubland

Herbaceous upland natural/semi-natural vegetation

Water

Wetland

Developed

43o41a

43o42a

43o43a

110o50a 110o49a 110o48a 110o47a 110o46a 110o45a 110o44a

Taggart

Lake

0

0

1

1

2 MILES

2 KILOMETERS

Bradley Lake

Icefloe Lake

National land cover data modified from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, 2000

Hydrography modified from USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) digital data, 1999

Albers Equal-Area Conic projection, Standard parallels 29o30aN and 45o30aN,

Central meridian 111o00aW

TC2

TC1 Taggart

Creek

South

Fork

Creek

Garnet

Cottonwood

Canyon

Snowdrift Lake Lake

Taminah

Site TC2

Site TC1

0 20 40 60 80 100

LAND COVER, IN PERCENT

the Teton Range and steep gradients in this basin that produce 

relatively fast stream velocities, which results in short contact 

time between stream waters and the chemically resistant 

Precambrian-era rocks and material derived from these rocks 

that compose the basin.

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species generally were small in samples collected at sites TC1 and TC2 on 

Taggart Creek (table 6, fig. 6). Dissolved-ammonia, dissolvednitrate, and dissolved-nitrite concentrations in all samples 

were less than the water-quality criteria for surface waters in 

Wyoming (table 5). All four samples collected at site TC1 and 

one sample collected at site TC2 had dissolved-nitrate concentrations larger than the median concentration of 0.087 mg/L 

determined for undeveloped streams in the United States 

(Clark and others, 2000). Monitoring of high-altitude lakes in 

Colorado, including lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park, 

has indicated water quality is being affected by inorganic 

nitrogen in atmospheric deposition (Campbell and others, 

2000, and references therein; Williams and Tonnessen, 2000). 

Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations were largest in 

subsurface waters of talus landscapes, where mineralization 

and nitrification augmented high rates of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (Campbell and others, 2000). Dissolvednitrate concentrations were relatively large in samples 

collected from Taggart Creek compared to the other streams, 

particularly at site TC1. Site TC1 has the largest percentage of 

barren land cover of all sites, indicating subsurface waters of 

talus slopes may contribute to dissolved-nitrate concentrations 

Water-Quality Characteristics 29
All four sampling events 

(June, July, August, and 

October)

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

SITE

TC1 TC2

SITE

TC1 TC2

June sample

July sample

August sample

October sample

EXPLANATION

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET

PER SECOND

DISSOLVED-SOLIDS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-NITROGEN CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT LOAD,

IN TONS PER DAY

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.012

Figure 6. Streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment concentrations; and 

suspended-sediment loads for Taggart Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

30 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
in Taggart Creek. Because of the small buffering capacity of 

Taggart Creek, this drainage basin may be the most sensitive 

to future increases in atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and 

subsequent eutrophication and acidification. Total-nitrogen 

concentrations in samples collected at both sites were 

sometimes near, but were still less than the median concentration of 0.26 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in 

the United States (Clark and others, 2000) and less than the 

ambient total-nitrogen criterion of 0.34 mg/L for forested 

mountain streams in the Middle Rockies ecoregion recommended by the USEPA to address cultural eutrophication 

(U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). In addition 

to atmospheric sources of nitrogen, it is possible that recreational use in the drainage basin could contribute to nitrogen 

concentrations. Dissolved-orthophosphate concentrations were 

less than the reporting level of 0.006 mg/L, and dissolvedphosphorus concentrations were less than 0.006 mg/L in all 

samples. Total-phosphorus concentrations were less than the 

total-phosphorus median concentration of 0.022 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and 

others, 2000) in samples collected at both sites.

Dissolved-iron and dissolved-manganese concentrations 

were small in the samples collected at sites TC1 and TC2 on 

Taggart Creek (table 6). For all samples collected from the 

four western streams, the maximum dissolved-iron concentration (19 μg/L) and the maximum dissolved-manganese 

concentration (2.8 μg/L) were in samples collected at site TC2 

on Taggart Creek. The relatively larger concentrations of these 

trace elements at site TC2 compared to site TC1 and sampling 

sites on other streams may be the result of processes associated with Taggart Lake. These concentrations were substantially less than the aquatic-life criteria and human-health 

criteria for dissolved iron and dissolved manganese (table 5). 

Dissolved-arsenic, dissolved-cadmium, dissolved-chromium, 

dissolved-copper, dissolved-nickel, dissolved-selenium, and 

dissolved-zinc concentrations (table 6) were substantially less 

than aquatic-life acute and chronic criteria (table 5) during the 

June sampling of Taggart Creek. Sources of trace elements 

in the Taggart Creek drainage basin most likely are natural 

because the basin is mostly undeveloped.

During the June sampling event, one sample was 

collected at site TC1 and one sample was collected at site TC2 

and analyzed for 52 commonly used pesticides or their breakdown product. All of the concentrations in the samples were 

less than the laboratory reporting levels for the compounds 

(table 4) and aquatic criteria established for surface waters in 

Wyoming (table 5).

Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads for 

Taggart Creek were small for all the sampling events (fig. 6). 

Suspended-sediment concentrations were 1 mg/L in all four 

samples at site TC1 and ranged from 1 to 3 mg/L at site TC2. 

Typically, suspended sediment is carried to streams with 

overland flow or is resuspended from the stream bottom from 

turbulent flows. The upper basin largely contains rocky, coarse 

materials that are too heavy to be suspended at site TC1, and 

Taggart Lake probably reduces suspended material at site TC2.

Lake Creek

Lake Creek is a tributary to Fish Creek, a large tributary that flows into the Snake River downstream from Grand 

Teton National Park. The upstream site (site LC1) is located 

near the terminus of Death Canyon and is upstream from the 

inlet to Phelps Lake. The downstream site on Lake Creek 

is downstream from Phelps Lake and the Moose-Wilson 

Road (fig. 1). Most of the drainage area for the basin (about 

85 percent) is upstream from site LC1. The drainage area at 

the downstream site (site LC2) is about 15.6 mi2 (table 1). 

The bedrock geology of the Lake Creek drainage basin is 

dominated by Precambrian-era metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks in the lower basin, with Paleozoic-era sedimentary rocks (including limestones, dolomites, and sandstones 

predominantly from the Ordovician period) in the upper basin. 

In this part of the study area, the Precambrian-era rocks at 

the core of the Teton Range are overlain by western dipping 

Paleozoic-era rocks. Quaternary-period deposits include 

glacial deposits that form the moraine at Phelps Lake, and 

landslide deposits of talus and related materials (Love and 

others, 1992). Lake Creek has a gravel, cobble, and rock 

streambed.

Land cover for both sites is similar; the predominant 

land covers are herbaceous uplands, forested uplands, and 

shrubland (fig. 7). Forested uplands, including deciduous 

forest, cover most of the glacial moraine. Private inholdings 

within Grand Teton National Park and a parking lot for the 

Death Canyon trailhead are accessed from a gravel road in 

the lower basin. Phelps Lake has high visitor use, primarily hiking and some camping. Some recreational use occurs 

upstream from site LC1. Site LC2 is downstream from most 

of the recreational uses. Lake Creek has several diversions 

downstream from site LC2.

Streamflow for Lake Creek varied during the sampling 

events (fig. 8). Streamflow ranged from 6.2 ft3/s in August to 

143 ft3/s in June at site LC1 and from 6.6 ft3/s in August to 

231 ft3/s in June at downstream site LC2. The high flows in 

June are a result of snowmelt runoff. Streamflow was higher 

at site LC2 than at site LC1 during three of the four sampling 

events. Phelps Lake contributes most of the streamflow at 

site LC2. Streamflow measured during the October sampling 

event was slightly higher than the streamflow measured during 

the August sampling event at sites LC1 and LC2. A small rain 

event occurred during the October sampling that may have 

contributed flow to Lake Creek.

Waters of Lake Creek were near neutral to alkaline (pH 

values ranged from 7.5 to 8.8) and were calcium-bicarbonate 

type (table 6). Among major cations, the concentration order 

from largest to smallest was calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Among major anions, the concentration 

order from largest to smallest was bicarbonate (determined 

from alkalinity), sulfate, and chloride. Alkalinity concentrations in samples collected from Lake Creek ranged from 

46 to 61 mg/L as calcium carbonate, more than two times 

the concentrations measured for any sample collected from 

Water-Quality Characteristics  31
Cottonwood Creek or Taggart Creek. Large dissolved-calcium 

and dissolved-magnesium concentrations are from the large 

area underlain by Paleozoic-era sedimentary rocks in the upper 

basin.

Dissolved-solids concentrations were substantially larger 

in Lake Creek than in Cottonwood Creek and Taggart Creek. 

Concentrations ranged from 55 mg/L to 87 mg/L at site LC1 

and from 57 to 61 mg/L at downstream site LC2. The smaller 

range in concentrations at downstream site LC2 compared 

to site LC1 reflects the influence of Phelps Lake. Dissolvedsolids concentrations generally showed an inverse relation 

with streamflow at site LC1. Concentrations are smallest 

during high-flow conditions, when stream waters are diluted 

by snowmelt runoff, and are largest during low-flow conditions, when ground water that has relatively larger dissolvedsolids concentrations contributes to streamflow. The larger 

dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected from 

Lake Creek compared to Cottonwood Creek and Taggart 

Creek are the result of the Paleozoic-era sedimentary rocks 

that are in the upper drainage basin, which generally are more 

soluble than the Precambrian-era rocks.

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species generally were small in samples collected at sites LC1 and LC2 on 

Lake Creek (table 6, fig. 8). Dissolved-ammonia, dissolvednitrate, and dissolved-nitrite concentrations in all samples 

were less than the water-quality criteria for surface waters in 

Wyoming (table 5). One sample collected at site LC1 had a 

dissolved-nitrate concentration of 0.10 mg/L, which was larger 

than the median concentration of 0.087 mg/L determined for 

undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and others, 

2000). The sample was collected in October when subsurface waters of talus slopes may contribute to streamflow and 

dissolved-nitrate concentrations. Total-nitrogen concentrations 

in samples collected at sites LC1 and LC2 were less than the 

median concentration of 0.26 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and others, 2000) and 

the ambient total-nitrogen criterion of 0.34 mg/L for forested 

mountain streams in the Middle Rockies ecoregion recommended by the USEPA to address cultural eutrophication (U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). All total-ammonia 

and organic nitrogen concentrations (0.11 to 0.25 mg/L) 

were larger than the laboratory reporting level for samples 

collected at site LC2. Dispersed back-country camping and 

other recreational use in the Phelps Lake area may contribute 

to nitrogen concentrations in Lake Creek in addition to natural 

sources. During all four sampling visits at site LC2, algal 

growth that covered 50 percent or more of the streambed was 

observed, which may indicate some nutrient enrichment of 

Lake Creek. All eight samples of dissolved orthophosphate 

had concentrations less than the reporting level of 0.006 mg/L. 

Dissolved-phosphorus concentrations were 0.006 mg/L or less 

in all samples. Total-phosphorus concentrations in samples 

were less than the total-phosphorus median concentration of 

0.022 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United 

States (Clark and others, 2000).

Dissolved-iron and dissolved-manganese concentrations 

generally were small in the samples collected at sites LC1 

and LC2 on Lake Creek (table 6). The maximum dissolvediron concentration was 13 μg/L (site LC1), and the maximum 

dissolved-manganese concentration was 1.4 μg/L (site LC2) 

for samples collected from Lake Creek. These concentrations were substantially less than the aquatic-life criteria 

and human-health criteria for dissolved iron and dissolved 

manganese (table 5). Dissolved-arsenic, dissolved-cadmium, 

dissolved-chromium, dissolved-nickel, dissolved-selenium, 

and dissolved-zinc concentrations (table 6) were substantially less than aquatic-life acute and chronic criteria (table 5) 

during the June sampling of Lake Creek. The dissolved-copper 

concentration of 4.5 μg/L at site LC1 was large compared to 

all other samples for dissolved copper. The concentration was 

near the aquatic-life chronic criterion of 4.7 μg/L calculated 

for waters with a hardness of 48 mg/L as calcium carbonate (Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, 2007). 

Because only one sample was collected at this site, it is not 

possible to determine whether this concentration is an outlier. 

The large dissolved-copper concentration was associated with 

the largest dissolved-iron and suspended-sediment concentrations that were reported for samples collected at site LC1. 

Some trace elements might remain in a colloidal form after 

passing through the 0.45-μm filter and exhibit a flow-driven 

characteristic, like suspended sediment, during runoff. Sources 

of trace elements in the Lake Creek drainage basin most likely 

are natural because the basin is mostly undeveloped.

During the June sampling event, one sample was 

collected at site LC1 and one sample was collected at site LC2 

and analyzed for 52 commonly used pesticides or their breakdown products. All of the concentrations in the samples were 

less than the laboratory reporting levels for the compounds 

(table 4) and aquatic criteria established for surface waters in 

Wyoming (table 5).

Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads for Lake 

Creek were small for all the sampling events (fig. 8), and 

ranged from 1 to 17 mg/L in the four samples at site LC1 

and from 1 to 3 mg/L at downstream site LC2. The large 

suspended-sediment concentration at site LC1 was during 

snowmelt runoff in June when suspended sediment is carried 

to streams with overland flow or is resuspended from the 

stream bottom from turbulent flows. The smaller sediment 

concentrations at site LC2 compared to those at site LC1 

reflect the influence of Phelps Lake, which likely reduces the 

suspended material.

32 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 7. Distribution of land cover in the Lake Creek drainage basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

0

0

1

1

2 MILES

2 KILOMETERS

Sampling site and number (table 1)

EXPLANATION

LC2

Barren

Forested upland

Shrubland

Herbaceous upland natural/semi-natural vegetation

Water

Wetland

Developed

Site LC2

Site LC1

0 20 40 60 80 100

LAND COVER, IN PERCENT

National land cover data modified from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, 2000

Hydrography modified from USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) digital data, 1999

Albers Equal-Area Conic projection, Standard parallels 29o30aN and 45o30aN,

Central meridian 111o00aW

110o55a 110o52a30q 110o50a 110o47a30q

43o40a

43o37a30q

LC2

LC1

Phelps

Lake

Lake Creek

Canyon

Death

Canyon

Open

Indian

Lake

Draw

Stewart

Water-Quality Characteristics  33
Figure 8. Streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment concentrations; and 

suspended-sediment loads for Lake Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

SITE

LC1 LC2

SITE

LC1 LC2

June sample

July sample

August sample

October sample

EXPLANATION

0

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET

PER SECOND

DISSOLVED-SOLIDS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-NITROGEN CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT LOAD,

IN TONS PER DAY

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

400

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.01

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

34  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Granite Creek

The Granite Creek drainage basin is the southernmost 

drainage basin in the study area. The upstream site (site GC1) 

on Granite Creek is located near the terminus of Granite 

Canyon immediately upstream from where the stream gradient abruptly increases to a waterfall that cascades downstream 

for some distance (fig. 1). The downstream site (site GC2) on 

Granite Creek is located at a USGS streamflow-gaging station 

near the boundary of Grand Teton National Park. Granite 

Creek historically was an undiverted tributary to Lake Creek; 

however, multiple irrigation diversions exist downstream 

from site GC2 near the border of Grand Teton National Park. 

Most of the drainage area for the basin (about 92 percent) is 

upstream from site GC1. The drainage area at the downstream 

site GC2 is about 14.9 mi2 (table 1). Precambrian-era rocks 

in the lower basin include metasedimentary and metavolcanic 

rocks, as well as metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic rocks. 

The upper basin is dominated by Paleozoic-era sedimentary 

rocks. About 50 percent of the surface area in the Granite 

Creek drainage basin is underlain by Paleozoic-era sedimentary rocks, which is the largest percentage of the four basins. 

In addition to Ordovician-period sedimentary rocks, younger 

Devonian- and Mississippian-period rocks, including the 

Madison Limestone, are present. Quaternary-period deposits 

include glacial deposits, and landslide deposits of talus and 

related materials (Love and others 1992). Granite Creek has 

a predominantly gravel, cobble, and rock streambed at both 

sites.

Land cover for both sites is very similar (fig. 9). Forested 

uplands, herbaceous uplands, and shrubland compose more 

than 98 percent of the drainage area at both sites. Recreational 

uses occur in the basin. Granite Canyon is accessed from a 

trailhead on the Moose-Wilson Road (fig. 1). Recreational 

uses include hiking and back-country camping. The upper part 

of Granite Canyon is near a major ski area.

Streamflow for Granite Creek varied during the sampling 

events (fig. 10). Streamflow ranged from 10 ft3/s in October 

to 285 ft3/s in June at site GC1 and from 9.7 ft3/s in August 

to 275 ft3/s in June at downstream site GC2. The high flows 

in June are a result of snowmelt runoff. Streamflow values 

for the upstream and downstream sites were about the same 

during each sampling event, indicating no substantial gain or 

loss of streamflow occurs in this reach. Streamflow measured 

during the October sampling event was slightly higher than 

the streamflow measured during the August sampling event 

at site GC2. A small rain event occurred during the October 

sampling that may have contributed flow to Granite Creek.

Granite Creek is the most alkaline of the western streams 

sampled for the synoptic study in Grand Teton National Park, 

as indicated by the larger pH values (8.2 to 8.8) compared 

to those from the other three streams. Waters of Granite 

Creek were calcium-bicarbonate type (table 6). Among 

major cations, the concentration order from largest to smallest for some samples was calcium, magnesium, potassium, 

and sodium. The concentration order for other samples was 

calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Among major 

anions, the concentration order from largest to smallest was 

bicarbonate (determined from alkalinity), sulfate, and chloride. 

Waters of Granite Creek are the most buffered of the four 

streams sampled for this study. For samples from all four 

streams, dissolved-sodium, dissolved-potassium, dissolvedchloride, dissolved-fluoride, dissolved-silica, and dissolvedsulfate concentrations generally were not highly variable 

among sites. Dissolved-calcium, dissolved-magnesium, 

and alkalinity concentrations were variable among sites; 

the maximum concentrations of these constituents were in 

samples from Granite Creek. Alkalinity concentrations in 

samples collected from Granite Creek ranged from 107 to 

116 mg/L as calcium carbonate, nearly 2 times the concentrations measured for Lake Creek and about 10 times the concentrations measured for Cottonwood Creek.

Dissolved-solids concentrations for Granite Creek were 

the largest of the four streams sampled as part of this study. 

Concentrations ranged from 108 to 130 mg/L at site GC1 

and from 105 to 125 mg/L at downstream site GC2 (fig. 10). 

Concentrations are smallest during high-flow conditions, when 

stream waters are diluted by snowmelt runoff, and are largest 

during low-flow conditions, when ground water that has larger 

dissolved-solids concentrations contributes to streamflow. As 

with streamflow, the variability in dissolved-solids concentrations between the two sites was small. The large dissolvedsolids concentrations are a result of the large area of the basin 

being underlain by Paleozoic-era sedimentary rocks. Granite 

Creek drainage basin is the only basin with a large area underlain by the Madison Limestone and Darby Formation (table 2).

Concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus species 

generally were small in samples collected at sites GC1 and 

GC2 on Granite Creek (table 6, fig. 10). Dissolved-ammonia, 

dissolved-nitrate, and dissolved-nitrite concentrations in 

all samples from Granite Creek were less than the waterquality criteria for surface waters in Wyoming (table 5). The 

dissolved-nitrate concentration (0.11 mg/L) in one sample at 

site GC1 had a concentration larger than the median concentration of 0.087 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in 

the United States (Clark and others, 2000). The sample was 

collected in October when subsurface waters of talus slopes 

may contribute to streamflow and dissolved-nitrate concentrations. Total-nitrogen concentrations in all samples collected 

at site GC1 and in three of the samples collected at site GC2 

were less than the median concentration of 0.26 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark 

and others, 2000) and the ambient total-nitrogen criterion 

of 0.34 mg/L for forested mountain streams in the Middle 

Rockies ecoregion recommended by the USEPA to address 

cultural eutrophication (U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency, 2000). The total-nitrogen concentration (largely in 

the form of ammonia and organic nitrogen) was 0.34 mg/L for 

a sample collected in July at site GC2 when recreational use 

in the basin is high. Dissolved-orthophosphate concentrations 

were less than the laboratory reporting level of 0.006 mg/L, 

and dissolved-phosphorus concentrations were less than 

Water-Quality Characteristics  35
Figure 9. Distribution of land cover in the Granite Creek drainage basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Sampling site and number (table 1)

EXPLANATION

GC2

Barren

Forested upland

Shrubland

Herbaceous upland natural/semi-natural vegetation

Water

Wetland

Developed

0

0

1

1

2 MILES

2 KILOMETERS

National land cover data modified from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, 2000

Hydrography modified from USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) digital data, 1999

Albers Equal-Area Conic projection, Standard parallels 29o30aN and 45o30aN,

Central meridian 111o00aW

43o37a30q

43o35a

110o55a 110o52a30q 110o50a

Phelps

Lake

GC2

Granite GC1

South

Fork

Fork

Fork

Middle

North

Creek

Creek

Fish

Creek

Moose

Creek

Fox

Canyon

Open

Creek

Lake

Moose

Lake

Site GC2

Site GC1

0 20 40 60 80 100

LAND COVER, IN PERCENT

36 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Figure 10. Streamflow; dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment concentrations; and 

suspended-sediment loads for Granite Creek, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2006.

100

105

110

115

120

125

130

135

140

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

20

30

SITE

GC1 GC2

SITE

GC1 GC2

June sample

July sample

August sample

October sample

EXPLANATION

0

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET

PER SECOND

DISSOLVED-SOLIDS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-NITROGEN CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT LOAD,

IN TONS PER DAY

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

400

0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025

Water-Quality Characteristics  37
0.006 mg/L in all samples. Total-phosphorus concentrations 

in all samples collected at site GC1 and in three samples 

collected at site GC2 were less than the total-phosphorus 

median concentration of 0.022 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and others, 2000). 

The sample with the largest total-phosphorus concentration of 

0.023 mg/L was collected in June and was associated with a 

large suspended-sediment concentration.

Dissolved-iron and dissolved-manganese concentrations 

were small in the samples collected at sites GC1 and GC2 on 

Granite Creek (table 6). The dissolved-iron concentrations 

were less than 6 μg/L, and the maximum dissolved-manganese 

concentration was 0.6 μg/L (site GC2) for samples collected 

from Granite Creek. These concentrations were substantially 

less than the aquatic-life criteria and human-health criteria for 

dissolved iron and dissolved manganese (table 5). Dissolvedarsenic, dissolved-cadmium, dissolved-chromium, dissolvedcopper, dissolved-nickel, dissolved-selenium, and dissolvedzinc concentrations (table 6) were substantially less than 

aquatic-life acute and chronic criteria (table 5) during the June 

sampling of Granite Creek. Sources of trace elements in the 

Granite Creek drainage basin most likely are natural because 

the basin is mostly undeveloped.

During the June sampling event, one sample was 

collected at site GC1 and one sample was collected at site GC2 

and analyzed for 52 commonly used pesticides or their breakdown products. All of the concentrations in the samples were 

less than the laboratory reporting levels for the compounds 

(table 4) and aquatic criteria established for surface waters in 

Wyoming (table 5).

Suspended-sediment concentrations and loads for 

Granite Creek (fig. 10) were small for all the sampling events. 

Suspended-sediment concentrations ranged from less than 1 

to 17 mg/L at site GC1 and from 1 to 29 mg/L at downstream 

site GC2. The largest suspended-sediment concentrations and 

loads were during snowmelt runoff in June when suspended 

sediment is carried to streams with overland flow or is resuspended from the stream bottom from turbulent flows. The 

larger suspended-sediment concentrations for Granite Creek 

compared to the other streams probably are a result of the 

sedimentary rocks in the basin.

Comparison of Synoptic Study Results

Results of the synoptic study of the western streams 

conducted during 2006 in the Snake River headwaters area 

were compared to results of a synoptic study of the eastern 

streams in the headwaters area conducted during 2002 (fig. 1). 

Five tributaries to the Snake River (Pilgrim Creek, Pacific 

Creek, Buffalo Fork, Spread Creek, and Ditch Creek) were 

sampled during the 2002 synoptic study of eastern streams. 

Overall hydrologic conditions for the Snake River varied 

slightly between sampling periods. For the Snake River at 

Moose, Wyo., the annual-runoff value of 1,619,000 acreft during water year 2002 was slightly less than the 

annual-runoff value of 1,730,000 acre-ft during water year 

2006. Annual-runoff values for both synoptic years were less 

than the average annual-runoff value of 2,140,000 acre-ft for 

the period of record for water years 1995–2006. In the western 

part of the basin, annual runoff for water year 2006 for Granite 

Creek was about 97 percent of average for the period of 

record. In the eastern part of the basin, annual-runoff values 

for Pacific Creek and the Buffalo Fork for water year 2002 

were about 77 percent of average for the periods of record. 

Because hydrologic conditions cannot be directly compared 

for the two time periods, tests for statistical differences in 

water-quality constituents were not conducted; however, 

general comparisons of constituents were made to describe 

spatial differences in water-quality characteristics in the Snake 

River headwaters area.

The eastern streams had a larger range of instantaneous 

streamflows than the western streams during the synoptic 

studies (fig. 11). Overall, the drainage areas of the eastern 

streams are substantially larger than the drainage areas of the 

western streams. For example, the Buffalo Fork, the largest of 

the eastern streams studied, drains an area of about 378 mi2

near the confluence with the Snake River; in contrast, Cottonwood Creek, the largest of the western streams studied and 

the only stream that is directly tributary to the Snake River, 

drains an area of about 72.3 mi2 near the confluence with the 

Snake River. Pilgrim Creek, Spread Creek, and Ditch Creek 

in the eastern part of the basin and Cottonwood Creek in the 

western part of the basin had the common characteristic of 

having streamflow losses between upstream and downstream 

sites during the synoptic studies. Generally, streams that flow 

through Jackson Hole are highly connected to the groundwater system because of the highly permeable aquifer materials. If the stream levels are higher than the adjacent water 

table, the stream loses water; likewise, if the stream level is 

lower than the adjacent water table, the stream gains water 

(Cox, 1974).

Dissolved-solids concentrations in samples collected 

from western streams generally were smaller than dissolvedsolids concentrations in samples collected from eastern 

streams (fig. 11). Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged 

from 11 to 130 mg/L in samples collected from the western 

streams and from 75 to 235 mg/L in samples collected from 

the eastern streams. The median dissolved-solids concentration of 55 mg/L for the western streams was smaller than 

the median dissolved-solids concentration of 125 mg/L for 

eastern streams. The small dissolved-solids concentrations in 

the western streams are a result of the large areas underlain 

by resistant Precambrian-era rocks that compose the Teton 

Range and higher annual precipitation in the Teton Range 

compared to the eastern part of the Snake River headwaters 

area. The Washakie Range, which forms a large part of the 

eastern boundary of the upper basin, is largely composed of 

more erodable Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks of marine 

origin, including sandstones, siltstones, and shales (Love 

and others, 1992). Average annual precipitation in the Teton 

Range is more than 70 inches compared to generally less than 

38  Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
50 inches in the mountain ranges in the eastern part of the 

basin (Oregon Climate Service, 2007). The median dissolvedsolids concentration of 123 mg/L for the Snake River (Clark 

and others, 2004) is similar to the median dissolved-solids 

concentration of the eastern streams. The range of dissolvedsolids concentrations (19 to 24 mg/L) for samples collected 

at site CC2 on Cottonwood Creek were substantially less than 

the range of dissolved-solids concentrations of 77 to 141 mg/L 

for the Snake River at Moose, Wyo., (Clark and others, 2004), 

indicating Cottonwood Creek has a small diluting effect on 

the Snake River. Overall, dissolved-solids concentrations in 

the eastern and western streams of the Snake River headwaters 

area are small compared to dissolved-solids concentrations in 

other basins in Wyoming (Peterson, 1993).

Concentration ranges of major-ion constituents, which 

contribute to the dissolved solids, indicate the source of the 

variability in dissolved solids. Samples collected from the 

eastern streams had larger ranges of concentrations for all of 

the major-ion constituents (Clark and others, 2004). In particular, dissolved-sodium, dissolved-chloride, and dissolvedsulfate concentrations generally were substantially larger in 

the samples collected from the eastern streams compared to 

those from the western streams. Dissolved-sodium concentrations ranged from 2.54 to 10.3 mg/L for the eastern streams 

compared to 0.33 to 0.70 mg/L for the western streams. 

Dissolved-chloride concentrations ranged from less than 

0.20 to 4.58 mg/L for the eastern streams compared to less 

than 0.20 to 0.84 mg/L for the western streams. Dissolvedsulfate concentrations ranged from 2.6 to 64.8 mg/L for 

the eastern streams compared to 1.46 to 7.08 mg/L for the 

western streams. Dissolved-silica concentrations, a nonionic 

contributor to dissolved solids, also were variable. Dissolvedsilica concentrations ranged from 6.46 to 22.2 mg/L for the 

eastern streams compared to 1.50 to 3.71 mg/L for the western 

streams.

Nutrient concentrations varied between the eastern 

streams and western streams in the Snake River headwaters area (fig. 11). The median total-nitrogen concentration 

(0.17 mg/L) for samples collected from streams in the western 

part of the Snake River headwaters area was larger than the 

median concentration (0.10 mg/L) for samples collected from 

streams in the eastern part of the basin. Dissolved-nitrate 

concentrations were less than the median concentration of 

0.087 mg/L determined for undeveloped streams in the United 

States (Clark and others, 2000) in all 38 samples collected 

from streams in the eastern part of the basin (Clark and others, 

2004). In contrast, dissolved-nitrate concentrations were larger 

than 0.087 mg/L in about 23 percent of the samples collected 

from the western tributaries. Dissolved nitrate associated with 

subsurface waters of talus slopes may be the source of some of 

the dissolved nitrate in the western streams. Nitrogen may be 

better utilized in the eastern basins than in the western basins 

because the eastern basins have more forested upland areas 

and less barren areas.

In contrast to total nitrogen, the median total-phosphorus 

concentration (0.025 mg/L) for samples collected from 

eastern streams was larger than the median concentration 

(0.004 mg/L) for samples collected from western streams. 

The median total-phosphorus concentrations for samples 

collected from the eastern streams was larger than the median 

total-phosphorus concentration of 0.022 mg/L determined 

for undeveloped streams in the United States (Clark and 

others, 2000) and the ambient total-phosphorus criterion of 

0.015 mg/L for forested mountain streams recommended by 

the USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). 

The median total-phosphorus concentration for samples 

collected from the western streams was less than the median 

concentration determined for undeveloped streams in the 

United States (Clark and others, 2000) and less than the 

ambient criterion for forested mountain streams recommended 

by the USEPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2000). 

The larger total-phosphorus concentrations for the eastern 

streams compared to the western streams generally were 

in samples from the Buffalo Fork (Clark and others, 2004). 

Large total-phosphorus concentrations were associated with 

large suspended-sediment concentrations. Phosphate sorbs to 

soil particles and is carried to streams with the sediment. The 

primary source of the phosphorus and sediment probably is the 

sedimentary rocks of marine origin that underlie parts of the 

eastern basins.

Suspended-sediment concentrations in samples collected 

from streams in the eastern part of the Snake River headwaters area generally were larger than suspended-sediment 

concentrations in samples collected from streams in the 

western part of the basin (fig. 11). The median suspendedsediment concentration was 5 mg/L for samples collected 

from eastern streams compared to the median concentration of 1 mg/L for samples collected from western streams. 

For the eastern streams, the maximum suspended-sediment 

concentration was 286 mg/L for a sample collected from the 

Buffalo Fork compared to the western streams where the 

maximum concentration was 29 mg/L for a sample collected 

from Granite Creek. The eastern streams carry much larger 

sediment loads to the Snake River compared to Cottonwood 

Creek. For example, during snowmelt runoff the sediment 

load was 347 tons per day (tons/d) for the Buffalo Fork (Clark 

and others, 2004) compared to a sediment load of 16 tons/d 

for Cottonwood Creek at site CC2. The geology in the eastern 

part of the Snake River headwaters area largely is composed of 

more erodable Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks, whereas the 

geology in the western part of the headwaters area largely is 

composed of resistant Precambrian-era igneous and metamorphic rocks. In addition, four of the study sites on the western 

streams are downstream from lakes, which trap some of the 

suspended sediment. Overall, streams in the eastern part and 

the western part of the Snake River headwaters area have 

small suspended-sediment concentrations compared to other 

streams in Wyoming (Peterson, 1993).

Water-Quality Characteristics  39
Figure 11. Streamflow and dissolved-solids, total-nitrogen, total-phosphorus, and suspended-sediment 

concentrations for eastern streams and western streams in the Snake River headwaters area, Grand 

Teton National Park, Wyoming, 2002–06.

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

0.001

0.01

0.1

1

10

100

1,000

10,000

(39) (31)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

(39)

(31)

0.001

0.002

0.005

0.01

0.02

0.05

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

(39)

(31)

EASTERN

STREAMS

WESTERN

STREAMS

0.1

0.2

0.5

1

2

5

10

20

50

100

200

500

1,000

(38)

(31)

EASTERN

STREAMS

WESTERN

STREAMS

SUSPENDED-SEDIMENT CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND TOTAL-NITROGEN CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

DISSOLVED-SOLIDS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

TOTAL-PHOSPHORUS CONCENTRATION,

IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER

75th percentile

25th percentile

Median (50th percentile)

1.5 times interquartile range (IQR) or largest value

-1.5 times IQR or smallest value

(62) Sample size

Value greater than 1.5 times IQR or 

 less than -1.5 times IQR

EXPLANATION

(39)

(31)

40 Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006
Summary

To address water-resource management objectives of 

the National Park Service in Grand Teton National Park, the 

U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National 

Park Service, has conducted water-quality sampling on 

streams in the Snake River headwaters area. A synoptic 

study of streams in the western part of the headwaters area 

was conducted during 2006. Sampling sites were located on 

Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, and Granite 

Creek. Sampling events in June, July, August, and October 

were selected to characterize different hydrologic conditions 

and different recreational-use periods. Stream samples were 

collected and analyzed for field measurements, major-ion 

chemistry, nutrients, selected trace elements, pesticides, and 

suspended sediment.

Water types of Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, 

Lake Creek, and Granite Creek were calcium bicarbonate. 

Dissolved-solids concentrations were dilute in Cottonwood 

Creek and Taggart Creek, which drain Precambrian-era rocks 

and materials derived from these rocks. Dissolved-solids 

concentrations ranged from 11 to 31 milligrams per liter 

for samples collected from Cottonwood Creek and Taggart 

Creek. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 55 to 

130 milligrams per liter for samples collected from Lake 

Creek and Granite Creek, which drain Precambrian-era rocks 

and Paleozoic-era rocks and materials derived from these 

rocks. Alkalinity concentrations were small in Cottonwood 

Creek and Taggart Creek and ranged from 8 to 22 milligrams 

per liter as calcium carbonate. The small alkalinity concentrations from Cottonwood Creek and Taggart Creek may indicate 

potential sensitivity to acidification; however, pH values were 

near neutral to alkaline.

Nutrient concentrations generally were small in samples 

collected from Cottonwood Creek, Taggart Creek, Lake Creek, 

and Granite Creek. Dissolved-nitrate concentrations were the 

largest in Taggart Creek, which has the largest percentage of 

barren land cover of the drainage basins. Landslide deposits in 

the Taggart Creek drainage basin largely are talus and related 

material. Subsurface waters of talus slopes may contribute to 

dissolved-nitrate concentrations in Taggart Creek. Because 

of the small buffering capacity of Taggart Creek, this drainage basin may be the most sensitive to future increases in 

atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and subsequent eutrophication and acidification. Pesticide concentrations were less 

than laboratory reporting levels for all samples. Metolachlor 

was detected in the sample from Cottonwood Creek in June 

with an estimated concentration of 0.002 microgram per 

liter, which was less than the laboratory reporting level of 

0.006 microgram per liter. Trace-element concentrations were 

smaller than aquatic-life criteria for all samples. Suspendedsediment concentrations generally were small for all samples. 

The largest suspended-sediment concentrations occurred 

during snowmelt runoff.

Water-quality characteristics of streams in the western 

part of the Snake River headwaters area were compared 

to water-quality characteristics of streams sampled during 

2002 in the eastern part of the headwaters area. The median 

dissolved-solids concentration (55 milligrams per liter) for 

samples collected from western streams was smaller than the 

median dissolved-solids concentration (125 milligrams per 

liter) for samples collected from eastern streams. The small 

dissolved-solids concentrations in the western streams are a 

result of the large areas underlain by resistant Precambrian-era 

rocks that compose the Teton Range compared to the more 

erodable Mesozoic-era sedimentary rocks that compose the 

mountains in the eastern part of the headwaters area. The 

Teton Range also receives higher annual precipitation than the 

mountains to the east. The median total-nitrogen concentration 

(0.17 milligram per liter) in samples collected from streams in 

the western part of the Snake River headwaters area was larger 

the median concentration (0.10 milligram per liter) for samples 

collected from streams in the eastern part of the headwaters 

area, in part because of larger dissolved-nitrate concentrations 

in samples from the western streams compared to the eastern 

streams. In contrast, total-phosphorus concentrations generally 

were larger for samples collected from eastern streams. Large 

total-phosphorus concentrations in the eastern streams were 

associated with large suspended-sediment concentrations. The 

source of the phosphorus and sediment probably is marine 

sedimentary rocks that underlie parts of the eastern drainage 

basins. Overall, concentrations of water-quality constituents 

are small compared to other Wyoming streams.

References

Campbell, D.H., Baron, J.S., Tonnessen, K.A., Brooks, P.D., 

and Schuster, P.F., 2000, Controls on nitrogen flux in 

alpine/subalpine watersheds of Colorado: Water Resources 

Research, v. 36, no. 1, p. 37–47.

Childress, C.J.O., Foreman, W.T., Connor, B.F., and Maloney, T.J., 1999, New reporting procedures based on longterm method detection levels and some considerations for 

interpretations of water-quality data provided by the U.S. 

Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory:

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-193, 19 p.

 Clark, G.M., 1997, Assessment of nutrients, suspended sediment, and pesticides in surface water of the upper Snake 

River Basin, Idaho and western Wyoming, water years 

1991–95: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 97–4020, 45 p.

Clark, G.M., Maret, T.R., Rupert, M.G., Maupin, M.A., Low, 

W.H., and Ott, D.S., 1998, Water quality in the upper Snake 

River Basin, Idaho and Wyoming, 1992–95: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1160, 35 p.

References  41
Clark, G.M., Mueller, D.K., and Mast, M.A., 2000, Nutrient 

concentrations and yields in undeveloped stream basins of 

the United States: Journal of the American Water Resources 

Association, v. 36, no. 4, p. 849–860.

Clark, M.L., Sadler, W.J., and O’Ney, Susan, 2004, Water 

quality of the Snake River and five tributaries in the upper 

Snake River Basin, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 

1998–2002: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2004–5017, 41 p.

Corbin, Jennifer; Woods, Scott; and O’Ney, Susan, 2006, 

Atmospheric effects on water quality in high-elevation lakes 

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References  43
Prepared by the Helena Publishing Service Center

For additional information contact:

Director, Wyoming Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

2617 East Lincolnway Avenue, Suite B

Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001

(307) 778-2931

http://wy.water.usgs.gov/
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Back cover photographs:

Taggart Creek in June 2006.

Cascade on Granite Creek in June 2006.

Taggart Creek drainage basin in July 2006.

Granite Canyon in July 2006.

Cottonwood Creek in August 2006.

Phelps Lake in October 2006.

Death Canyon in October 2006.

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Clark and others—Water-Quality Characteristics of Cottonwood, Taggart, Lake, and Granite Creeks, Grand Teton National Park, Wyo., 2006—SIR 2007–5221

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