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WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS IN THE MILNER REACH, SNAKE RIVER, SOUTH-CENTRAL IDAHO, OCTOBER 18-21 1977
Description:
During late October 1977, water discharge form Minidoka Dam into the Milner reach of the Snake River was less than 22 cubic meters per second, compared to normal flows for that time of year of about 42 cubic meters per second or more. To determine if impared water-wquality conditions existed, samples were collected at several sites above and below major point-source waste discharges near Burley, ID. Data collected for this sutdy indicate some water-quality impairmnet within the study reach. At site 15 near Milner Dam, dissolved oxygen was below the 90% saturation standard prescribed by the ID water-quality standards. The total coliform and fecal coliform standards were exceeded at about 1/3 of the sites sampled on the main stem of the Snake River. Un-ionized ammonia concentration exceeded USEPA water-quality criteria at one site near Burley. Concentrations of trace metals, insecticides, and herbicicdes were all low; none exceeded existing criteria. Walton H. Low. 1977. EPA Region X, 1200 6th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. 35 pp.