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Mixing Zone Model Study of Effluent Released from Yuma Desalting Plant into Colorado River in Arizona, 2022-2023

Dates

Publication Date
Start Date
2022-04-25
End Date
2023-02-28

Citation

White, A.M., 2023, Mixing Zone Model Study of Effluent Released from Yuma Desalting Plant into Colorado River in Arizona, 2022-2023: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9HR0ODE.

Summary

The Yuma Desalting Plant (YDP), which includes the Water Quality Improvement Center (WQIC), discharges effluent from desalted water into the Colorado River in Yuma, AZ just upstream of the Northerly International Boundary (NIB) of the United States and Mexico. Point source effluent from YDP discharges as surface flow from the Main Outlet Drain Extension II (MODE II) into the Colorado River. Quarterly samples of ambient water upstream of MODE II, effluent at the MODE II outfall, and from the river 500 m downstream of MODE II were analyzed for boron, copper, pH, and whole effluent toxicity (WET). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) modeled the mixing zone and plume geometry of effluent released from MODE II using the Cornell Mixing [...]

Contacts

Point of Contact :
Alissa M White
Process Contact :
Alissa M White
Originator :
Alissa M White
Metadata Contact :
Alissa White
Distributor :
U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase
SDC Data Owner :
Arizona Water Science Center
USGS Mission Area :
Water Resources

Attached Files

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readme.txt 13.77 KB text/plain
InputParameters_SensitivityTesting_SeptValidation.csv 4.71 KB text/csv
InputParameters_SensitivityTesting_NovValidation.csv 6.86 KB text/csv
InputParameters_SensitivityTesting_FebValidation.csv 8.12 KB text/csv
InputParameters_SensitivityTesting_AprilValidation.csv 7.27 KB text/csv
AmbientFlow_Predicted.csv 334 Bytes text/csv
WQParameters_InputsforValidation_QuarterlySampling.csv 1.25 KB text/csv
WETResults_InputsforValidationRuns_QuarterlySampling.csv 1.73 KB text/csv
ChemicalConc_InputsforValidationRuns_QuarterlySampling.csv 1.92 KB text/csv
WQParameters_InputsforPredictionRuns.csv 143 Bytes text/csv
WETResults_InputsforPredictionRuns.csv 909 Bytes text/csv
Sept2022_Flow.csv 1.67 KB text/csv
RiverBottomSlope.csv 836 Bytes text/csv
Nov2022_Flow.csv 1.52 KB text/csv
NIB_StageDifference.csv 263 Bytes text/csv
NIB_FlowStage_DailyData.csv 170.1 KB text/csv
Feb2023_Flow.csv 1.62 KB text/csv
ChemicalConc_InputsforPredictionRuns.csv 652 Bytes text/csv
April2022_Flow.csv 1.73 KB text/csv
WindSpeed_YumaMarineCorpsAirStation.csv 298 Bytes text/csv

Purpose

In order to demonstrate the absence or presence of detrimental effects to the water quality and aquatic life of the receiving water from YDP effluent, copper (Cu) and boron (B) concentrations and WET results were predicted downstream of the YDP outfall for comparison of the above constituents between receiving water upstream of the effluent release and at the boundary of the regulatory mixing zone (RMZ) 500 m downstream of the effluent release. The EPA-supported CORMIX modeling software (v12.0.1.0) was used to study the dilution of YDP effluent discharged from the MODE II Outfall into the Colorado River and to simulate the subsequent plume geometry and mixing zone boundary downstream of the outfall and is included in this dataset. Specifically, CORMIX3 (referred to as CORMIX throughout), which simulates effluent release as surface discharge, was used for all models. CORMIX predicts the concentration of identified elements downstream of the effluent discharge at specified step intervals. Comparison of predicted concentrations to those measured from samples collected downstream of effluent release was used to validate the channel parameters required by the model (no greater than 10% percent difference accepted). To further instill confidence in the validated channel parameters, a sensitivity analysis of critical parameters was also completed and is included in this dataset. After validation of the model parameters, plume geometry and dilution of effluent discharge was predicted during critical conditions of low Colorado River flow (using 7Q10 flow) and maximum capacity YDP effluent flow rate.

Additional Information

Identifiers

Type Scheme Key
DOI https://www.sciencebase.gov/vocab/category/item/identifier doi:10.5066/P9HR0ODE

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